Annan says Sudan Hasn't Disarmed Militias; Contemplates Sending Troops
Thursday, September 2, 2004 at 01:46AM
TheSpook
Secretary General Kofi Annan said Wednesday
that Sudan had failed to keep commitments to rein in militias
terrorizing the Darfur region and that a large international force was
required there as soon as possible."Attacks against civilians are
continuing and the vast majority of armed militias has not been
disarmed," Mr. Annan said in a report to the Security Council. "No
concrete steps have been taken to bring to justice or even identify any
of the militia leaders or perpetrators of these attacks, allowing the
violations of human rights and the basic laws of war to continue in a
climate of impunity." He said the United Nations continued to receive
reports of the destruction of villages and many and of the raping and
killing of people venturing forth from camps for displaced persons. In
addition, he said, refugees reported coming under attack by government
forces, sometimes from the air.To back up his recommendation of a
stepped-up international presence "as quickly as possible," Its current
complement is 380 military observers and troops, and diplomats say a
force of up to 3,000 is being contemplated. [more ]
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