The world must move quickly to avoid a repeat of the Rwandan genocide in Sudan’s western Darfur region, Chadian President Idriss Deby said on Wednesday.
”I ask the international community to act very quickly. If not, what is happening on our border could become a humanitarian tragedy,” Deby told international reporters in Ndjamena.
”The international community has the tragedy in Rwanda on its conscience. It has to act rapidly, not only to take in the refugees but also to create conditions for stability in Darfur, to return refugees to their original living places with all the required security to allow them to live in peace,” he said.
At least 10 000 people have been killed in Darfur since fighting broke out in the western Sudanese region in February last year, when black African rebel groups rose up against the government in Khartoum.
The Sudanese government’s response was to give an Arab militia, the Janjawid, a free rein in cracking down on the rebels. The Janjawid have been accused of conducting a scorched-earth policy and committing ”ethnic cleansing” in Darfur.
One million people have been displaced within the region and at least 120 000 refugees have poured into neighbouring Chad.
The United Nations refugee agency said in a statement on June 15 that the refugee population in Chad could reach 200 000 by the end of the year, and medical charity Médécins sans Frontières said last week that the Janjawid are terrorising Darfur’s displaced in camps.
Many refugees live in dire conditions, afraid to venture outside the camps or return home for fear they will be killed by the Janjawid.
Pro-Khartoum militias have also been accused of attacking towns and villages inside Chad, bringing a sharp response from Ndjamena and a warning from Deby of the possible consequences.
”An extraordinary phenomenon has developed — one of armed raiders from Sudan who hunt down the [Darfur] refugees, steal their goods and also kill Chadians before returning across the border with their livestock,” Deby said.
”Since the start of this war, some 300 Chadian civilians have been killed and thousands of head of cattle stolen by armed men who crossed over from Darfur,” he said.
”I do not want an armed conflict with Sudan. We respect the sovereignty of Sudan and hope they will act likewise with Chad.
”But if the raids are not brought under control, we will take measures to guarantee the security of refugees and Chadians who live in these regions,” Deby warned.
As Deby spoke, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan kicked off separate visits to Sudan, both focused on Darfur.
At a meeting late on Tuesday with Sudan’s President Omar al-Beshir, Powell demanded that Khartoum rein in the Janjawid, open Darfur to relief workers and start talks with the two rebel movements.
”Unless we see more moves soon in all these areas, it may be necessary for the international community to begin considering other actions, to include [UN] Security Council action,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Such action would likely include punitive sanctions on Sudan.
Powell arrived on Wednesday in Darfur, where he was to meet African Union truce monitors, then aid workers, before touring a camp for displaced people in the El-Feshir region.
Annan is due to visit a camp for displaced people in Darfur on Thursday before travelling to Chad.
Deby said a commission in charge of monitoring a ceasefire in Darfur will hold its first meeting at the weekend in Ndjamena.
Chaired by Nigerian General Festus Okonkwo, the commission is tasked with ”verifying and guaranteeing the implementation of the ceasefire” signed on April 8 between Khartoum and the Darfur rebel groups after talks in Ndjamena.
It also studies complaints of ceasefire violations, which have been numerous since the truce took effect on April 11. — Sapa-AFP