U.N. envoy to Sudan points to lack of security

KHARTOUM, Sudan – The U.N. envoy to Sudan said Wednesday lack of security in strife-torn Darfur would prevent more than 1 million displaced people from voluntarily returning to their homes in the next three weeks.

Jan Pronk, the world body’s special representative to Sudan, urged the government to do more to end the 18-month-old conflict in western Sudan, which has killed as many as 30,000 people and forced a million to flee from their homes.

“I don’t see a voluntary return of more than 1 million displaced people to their villages to start in the next three weeks because of lack of security,” Pronk told reporters in his first news conference since assuming the position June 18.

Pronk described the Darfur situation as a “tragedy” in which people were still being killed, and he demanded the Khartoum-based Arab-dominated government stop the violence and question anyone connected with the “terrorist acts.”

The U.N. envoy’s visit to Sudan comes amid intense international efforts to end the Darfur conflict. The fighting began when black African factions rose up against the Sudanese government, claiming discrimination in the distribution of the large, arid region’s scarce resources.

Since then, Arab militias called Janjaweed and purportedly backed by the government have gone on a rampage, destroying villages, killing and raping.

On Tuesday, Pronk signed an agreement with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail giving his government 30 days to establish safe areas in Darfur to let African farmers search for food and water and farm without fear of attack.

Sudanese government and rebel officials have indicated they will attend a new round of peace talks set for Aug. 23 in Nigeria, Nigerian officials said. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is the current chairman of the African Union.

“I am sure all the groups will come,” Nigerian Foreign Minister Olu Adeniji said.