U.N. Accuses Sudan of Moving Refugees

 There are strong indications of war crimes "on a large and systematic scale" in Darfur and violence is worsening in the western Sudanese region where 2 million people have now been affected by the conflict, the top U.N. envoy to Sudan said Wednesday. Jan Pronk, in a report to the U.N. Security Council, accused Sudan's government of failing to "end impunity" and bring the perpetrators of widespread killings, rapes, looting and village burnings to justice. "There are strong indications that war crimes and crimes against humanity have occurred in Darfur on a large and systematic scale," Pronk said. The violence in Darfur began in February 2003 when two black African rebel groups took up arms over alleged unjust treatment by the Sudanese government and ethnic Arab countrymen. Pro-government militias called Janjaweed reacted by unleashing attacks on villages. The Bush administration says the Janjaweed are largely responsible for an ethnic cleansing campaign. The United States and the United Nations  are urging the government to curb the militias, but the government denies backing the Janjaweed and blames the rebels. The conflict has killed at least 70,000 people. [more]