Khartoum, 3 April (AKI) - The Sudanese government on Monday prevented the United Nations' top humanitarian official from visiting Sudan's ethnically troubled Darfur region. Jan Egeland said in an interview with the BBC he thought the government did not want him to see the latest wave of "ethnic cleansing" against black Africans in South Darfur. He said thousands of people had fled after 60 villages were attacked by pro-government Janjaweed militias.
The BBC cited a Sudanese foreign ministry spokesman, Jamal Ibrahim, saying that the government had asked Egeland to delay his visit because it coincided with a holiday to mark the birthday of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed. He said that in the light of the Danish cartoons row, it would not be sensitive or safe for a Norwegian such as Egeland to visit.
Egeland said the Sudanese government, guerrilla forces and ethnic militia groups were all to blame for the current instability in Darfur where he had been scheduled to meet local people and aid workers assisting civilians who have been displaced by he conflict. |