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16 December 2003

U.S. Expresses Concern At Fighting in Darfur Region of Sudan

Text of 12/16/03 Boucher statement

Washington -- State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher December 16 expressed concern at the "deteriorating humanitarian and security situation" in Sudan where fighting has forced the curtailment of humanitarian assistance in the northwestern Darfur region.

Following is the text of the Boucher statement:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
December 16, 2003

Statement by Richard Boucher, Spokesman

Sudan: Situation in Darfur

The United States is deeply concerned with the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in the Darfur region of Sudan. Hostilities in Darfur between indigenous opposition groups and the Sudanese Armed Forces and its allied militias have caused non-governmental organizations and the U.N. to curtail needed humanitarian assistance programs. The United States deplores the parties' lack of engagement to end hostilities in Darfur, despite efforts by the United Nations and the Government of Chad to facilitate talks and a humanitarian cease-fire.

Reports indicate more than 600,000 civilians have been internally displaced, 75,000 refugees have fled to neighboring Chad, and as many as 3,000 unarmed civilians have been killed. Many more have been prevented from planting or harvesting crops. Humanitarian access continues to be inhibited by ongoing insecurity and the Government of Sudan's denial of travel permits to humanitarian workers.

The United States calls on all parties to agree to an observable humanitarian cease-fire and engage in substantive dialogue on ending the hostilities in Darfur. Further, the United States calls on the Government of Sudan to take concrete steps to control the militia groups it has armed, to avoid attacks against civilians and to fully facilitate the efforts of the international humanitarian community to respond to civilian needs.

The fighting in Darfur is not linked to the ongoing peace talks between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army in Kenya.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=December&x=20031216173221rehsiF0.5356104&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html