Darfur Crisis: Appeal for end of hostilities

Source: CCTV.com | 11-16-2006 14:10

The government of Chad is claiming that ethnic violence in Sudan's Darfur region is spilling over the border.

An upsurge of deadly Arab-African fighting has undermined stability in a region that includes eastern Chad and the northern Central African Republic. A report from that country claims 128 Africans were killed by the end of October. The outgoing UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, is calling for more UN involvement in the Darfur region.

Over 200 thousand people have died in three years of violence in the region. More than 2 and a half million have fled their homes-- many into Chad.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is planning more international involvement.

Kofi Annan, UN secretary general said, “We are looking at the possibility of putting UN observers or some international presence on the border and working with the government of Chad to ensure that the refugees who are in the Chad are protected and to ensure that cross border attacks would also be minimized.”

Part of the UN chief's plan is a " hybrid force" under the joint command with the African Union in Darfur. Violence there has prevailed unchecked by the 7 thousand AU troops. It also have crippled relief efforts, with 2 million people already driven into camps.

The UN aid agency says at least 12 of its staff have been killed since May when one of three negotiating rebel factions signed a peace deal with the government.

Jan Egeland, undersecretary of UN humanitarian affairs said, “In this hour of need for the people of Darfur we need to see that everything is done to avoid further attacks against civilian population and further attacks against humanitarian workers.”

As the crisis continues to grow, Sudan has reportedly rejected the AU-UN hybrid operation and insisted that security affairs must be under the charge of African Union.

So far UN has promised the AU 77 million US dollars for equipment. But analysts say only a greatly expanded force with a robust mandate can enforce a ceasefire.

Editor:Sun Luying