Military

DATE=3-2-04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-S / SUDAN / DARFUR (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-313741

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The United States Tuesday expressed "grave concern" about the situation in Sudan's western Darfur region, where it says fighting between Sudanese government forces and local rebels threatens the lives, or livelihood, of as many as a million people. The State Department urged a series of steps to ease the situation, including immediate efforts toward a humanitarian cease-fire. V-O-A's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

TEXT: The statement volunteered to reporters here was the strongest U-S expression of concern to date about the fighting in the Darfur region, which has displaced at least 700 thousand people, including about 100 thousand who have fled as refugees into neighboring Chad.

The fighting, which pits Sudanese government forces and allied Arab militiamen against local rebels, erupted a year ago and has killed a reported three thousand people. But it has been largely overshadowed by efforts to settle Sudan's two-decade-old north-south civil war.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States is gravely concerned about the "deepening humanitarian crisis" in Darfur, where he said a lack of civil order and the refusal of authorities to allow access by humanitarian workers has put as many as a million people at risk:

///Boucher actuality///

Particularly threatening are the actions of government-supported militias, who continue to attack and burn undefended villages. The United States and others in the world community have asked the parties to establish a cease-fire. The United States has also offered to facilitate negotiations aimed specifically at resolving procedures to implement humanitarian assistance programs in the region.

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Mr. Boucher said the United States stands by the mediation offer but said the Sudanese government has not yet responded.

For that reason, he said the United States was publicly appealing to the Khartoum authorities and the Darfur rebels to allow unhindered movement of humanitarian workers and supplies to all areas affected by the conflict.

He also said they should immediately enter into negotiations on a "humanitarian cease-fire," and to act decisively to disarm and bring under control all irregular forces, particularly the government-backed militias known as "janjawiet," who he said have been responsible for outbursts of rape and murder.

Mr. Boucher said the United States has committed more than 10 million dollars in relief aid for Darfur since last year though it has largely gone undelivered because of the problems with access.

He said U-S diplomats have raised Darfur frequently with Sudanese officials in different venues including the north-south peace talks in Naivasha, Kenya.

Though negotiators in Kenya have missed self-imposed deadlines for an agreement, Mr. Boucher said they continue and are down to just a few remaining issues, though he said the Darfur crisis has been "distracting and difficult." (Signed)

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