U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, who has just returned to Geneva from a two-week trip to Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan, has said there is no hope for peace in Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur region until the fighting factions are disarmed and demobilized. According to The U.N. high commissioner, peace in Darfur is linked to what happens in southern Sudan adding that the comprehensive peace agreement signed by the Sudanese government and southern Sudanese rebels has raised hopes the country is moving toward stability. Louise Arbour says southern Sudan is in a state of total neglect adding that the region has no governance and no economic or physical infrastructure after 20 years of conflict. She says it needs to be completely rebuilt. If the promises held out by the southern Sudan peace agreement are unfulfilled, the Darfur agreement is likely to fail. She said. "There is in Darfur, in my view, there is no hope of peace holding if primarily attention is not given to disarmament," she said.
"Southern Sudan is still plagued by insecurity caused by a flood of weaponry and various armed groups, including activities by the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group. I think the most urgent initiative in southern Sudan is a robust disarmament plan which is contemplated by the comprehensive peace agreement."