The African Union pressed Sudan on Wednesday to ”neutralise” the Janjaweed militiamen and others involved in massive human rights violations in the Darfur region, but said it does not consider the attrocities to be genocide.
Thousands have been killed and more than a million black Africans have fled attacks by the Arab militiamen allied to Sudan’s government and who have wreaked havoc in Darfur, an Iraq-sized region in western Sudan.
The AU’s Peace and Security Council said ”even though the crisis in Darfur is grave, with unacceptable levels of death, human suffering and destruction of homes and infrastructure, the situation cannot be defined as a genocide”.
The council issued a statement demanding that Sudan immediately bring to justice all those responsible for the violence and destruction, adding that Sudan’s government must look at compensating the victims.
Sudanese officials were not immediately available for comment.
”The crisis should be addressed with urgency … [the] council welcomes the commitment made by the government to disarm and neutralize the Janjaweed militia and urges the government to follow through with these commitments.”
In a separate statement, African foreign ministers expressed ”serious concern” over the situation in the Darfur region, AU spokesperson Desmond Orjiako said.
The council statement made no mention of ethnic cleansing, a term used by some United States officials.
The 48 African leaders attending the summit were expected to issue a further statement on Darfur later on Wednesday or Thursday, when the summit officially closes. — Sapa-AP