DATE=12/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-242792
TITLE=SUDAN TOLL (L ONLY)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: STAGGERING NEW STATISTICS ABOUT THE WAR IN SUDAN WERE
RELEASED IN WASHINGTON THURSDAY, IN A REPORT COMMISSIONED BY THE
U-S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES. THE REPORT ESTIMATES THAT NEARLY TWO
MILLION SUDANESE HAVE DIED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FIFTEEN
YEARS OF CONFLICT IN THE COUNTRY. VOA'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS HAS
DETAILS.
TEXT: THE ESTIMATED DEATH TOLL OF ONE POINT NINE MILLION IS
SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN PREVIOUS ACCOUNTS, INCLUDING A REPORT
ISSUED BY A U-S SENATE COMMITTEE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
ROGER WINTER, DIRECTOR OF THE U-S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES, CALLS
THE NEW ESTIMATE CONSERVATIVE. BUT HE SAYS IT ACCURATELY
REFLECTS THE FEROCITY AND SCALE OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT AND REBEL FORCES IN SOUTHERN SUDAN AND IN THE CENTRAL
NUBA MOUNTAINS.
///WINTER ACT///
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE FIFTEEN YEARS' DEATH
TOLL OF CIVILIANS IN SUDAN IS GREATER THAN THE COMBINED
NUMBER OF CIVILIAN DEATHS IN BOSNIA, IN KOSOVO, IN
RWANDA AND LOTS OF OTHER PLACES ALL ROLLED INTO ONE.
THIS IS A STAGGERING, STAGGERING NUMBER OF UNNECESSARY
DEATHS.
///END ACT///
(OPT) THE 84-PAGE REPORT -- ENTITLED "QUANTIFYING GENOCIDE" --
WAS PREPARED BY MILLARD BURR (MALE), A RETIRED FORMER DIRECTOR OF
LOGISTICS FOR THE U-S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE DOCUMENT IS AN EXHAUSTIVE, YEAR-BY-YEAR COMPILATION OF THE
WARFARE AND ITS HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING FAMINE, WITH
CASUALTY TOLLS APPENDED TO EACH INCIDENT. (END OPT)
THE REPORT ESTIMATES THAT SOME FOUR MILLION SUDANESE HAVE BEEN
DISPLACED INTERNALLY, AND ANOTHER 350-THOUSAND HAVE FLED TO
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
MR. WINTER SAYS THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF SOUTHERN SUDAN HAS BEEN
TOTALLY DESTROYED. THERE IS NOT A SINGLE BUILDING INTACT, HE
SAYS, NO FUNCTIONING ROAD SYSTEM AND NO REAL ECONOMY.
///REMAINDER OPT FOR LONG C-R///
///WINTER ACT///
SOUTH SUDAN -- SUDAN AS A WHOLE -- BUT SOUTH SUDAN IN
PARTICULAR IS A SOCIETY 'IN EXTREMIS' (ON THE VERGE OF
DEATH). I HAVE BEEN JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE -- I MEAN
REALLY -- JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE YOU CAN IMAGINE IN THE
WORLD WHERE THERE IS CONFLICT, WHERE THERE ARE REFUGEES,
WHERE THERE ARE DISPLACED PEOPLE, AND SUDAN IS CLEARLY
THE WORST.
///END ACT///
FAMINE CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH HAVE EASED OVER THE PAST FEW
MONTHS, WITH A PARTIAL CEASEFIRE ALLOWING THE DELIVERY OF VAST
AMOUNTS OF FOOD AID FROM WESTERN GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE
AGENCIES.
BUT JEFF DRUMTRA, A POLICY ANALYST FOR THE REFUGEE COMMITTEE,
SAYS NO ONE SHOULD BE FOOLED BY WHAT HE TERMS THIS 'INTERLUDE
OF CALM'.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE FIGHTING WILL RESUME AND INTENSIFY IN THE
SPRING, HE SAYS, ADDING THE FEAR -- FREQUENTLY EXPRESSED BY AID
WORKERS -- THAT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE KHARTOUM
GOVERNMENT AGAIN MOVES TO BLOCK AID SHIPMENTS INTO THE WAR ZONE.
THE U-S REFUGEE COMMITTEE IS NOW URGING THE UNITED NATIONS TO
DECLARE THE AREA A "HUMANITARIAN AUTONOMOUS ZONE" TO ALLOW AID
DELIVERIES REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE SHIPMENTS ARE
APPROVED BY THE SUDANESE GOVERNMENT.
MR. DRUMTRA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE PROPOSAL RAISES DIFFICULT
ISSUES OF SOVEREIGNTY AND ENFORCEMENT. BUT IN THIS CATASTROPHIC
SITUATION, HE ADDS, IT IS TIME TO THINK ABOUT CHANGING THE RULES.
(SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/KL
10-Dec-98 1:57 PM EST (1857 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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