wfn.org | CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: 'MORE U.S., UN SUPPORT FOR AU TROOPS IN DARFUR'

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

MEDIA ADVISORY

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: 'MORE U.S., UN SUPPORT FOR AU TROOPS IN DARFUR'

CONTACTS:

Ann Walle/CWS/New York
Phone: (212) 870-2654
e-mail: awalle@churchworldservice.org

Jan Dragin/New York/Boston - 24/7
Phone: (781) 925-1526
e-mail: jdragin@gis.net


New York - Wed 9/1- As violence continues against the people of Darfur,
Sudan, in what the United Nations has labeled the world9s worst humanitarian
crisis, global humanitarian agency Church World Service is urging Americans
to contact U.S. Ambassador John Danforth and Secretary of State Colin Powell
and demand that they:

 Apply pressure to the president of Sudan to accept African Union troops as
peacekeepers in Darfur

 Urge the government of Sudan to expand the mandate of African Union troops
to include protection of refugees and internally displaced people, as well
as protection of humanitarian zones to ensure passage of desperately needed
food and relief supplies

 Ensure that the U.S. provide an additional $90 million in assistance for
the people of Darfur,  deemed an appropriate and proportionate contribution
to
help fund the shortfall of the United Nations appeal for Darfur

Monday was the deadline set by the United Nations for the government of
Sudan to disarm and apprehend the Janjaweed militias blamed with the
killing, rapes, atrocities, village burnings and massive displacement of
more than 1.2 million primarily black African people in the Darfur region of
Western Sudan- or, according to the UN demand, Sudan may face sanctions.

UN special envoy to Sudan Jan Pronk is scheduled to brief the Security
Council on his findings in Darfur tomorrow (Thurs 9/2). Security Council
members seem to be backing away from calling for immediate economic
sanctions against Sudan.

While the Sudanese government and rebel faction groups- the Sudan Liberation
Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)- are attending off-again,
on-again peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, fresh reports from Darfur say the
violence continues by allegedly government-backed Janjaweed Arab militia and
from air  attacks reportedly  by government military.

In an uncharacteristic admonishment of one African country to another,
Nigeria warned Sudan on Monday that it risked international ostracism after
AU ceasefire monitors confirmed a recent attack by Khartoum forces against
Darfuri civilians.

According to the Sudan Tribune and other sources, 64 people were massacred
in one Darfur village.

An initial contingent of 150 African Union troops from Rwanda have arrived
in Darfur to serve as protection for AU cease-fire monitors who are
assessing the situation in Darfur. Another 150 Nigerian troops left for the
region on Monday.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir made it clear last week that no
additional AU troops were welcome in Sudan, beyond the number his government
initially agreed to with the AU concerning protection of its cease-fire
monitors.

Church World Service Executive Director and CEO the Rev. John L. McCullough
says that is not enough.

"Security in Darfur is by no means accomplished," McCullough said.

Speaking from Church World Service9s New York headquarters, McCullough
urged, "It is also necessary for African Union troops to help provide a
secure humanitarian corridor for the ongoing delivery of assistance to the
thousands of refugees and displaced people in the region.

"We therefore need to push the government of Sudan to accept an expanded
role and mission of these African Union troops."

Over the past thirty days the Sudanese government employed what CWS9
McCullough describes as "a strategy of lukewarm compliance to stall the
international community, while pursuing its goal of destroying as many of
the black African populations of Darfur as possible.

"Calls for Sudan to cease military support, disarm and apprehend Janjaweed
militias conducting campaigns of terror against the people of Darfur have
gone mostly unheeded," McCullough said.

UN reports said Tuesday that conditions are worsening for Darfuri refugees.
Violence in Darfur is responsible for almost 50,000 deaths, and according to
UN estimates, almost 500 refugees perish daily.

CWS Associate Director of International Emergency Response Programs Donna J.
Derr reports that CWS9 partners in Darfur, Action by Churches Together,
Caritas International and Norwegian Church Aid, are increasing humanitarian
efforts in areas outside Nyala.

Thousands of people remain in makeshift camps, with unconfirmed numbers of
new arrivals seeking refuge in the area, says Derr.

ACT/Caritas operational teams have heard reports about renewed fighting in
the area - reports that have been confirmed by other sources. According to
the reports, some civilians have been killed.

In places like Mujaheria, the numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs)
have doubled lately, says Derr.

Despite massive food and relief aid efforts currently underway by the World
Food Program (WFP) and the International Red Cross, more people are at risk
of imminent starvation and death from disease, because of ongoing violence,
the region9s rainy season, and limited access to the region by humanitarian
agencies.
.
In June, responding to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Darfur, Church
World Service issued a $1.75 million emergency appeal.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: Please add the following source to your listings or
agencies accepting contributions for relief programs in Darfur, Sudan:

Contributions to support relief work in Darfur may be sent to the Church
World Service Sudan-Darfur Crisis Appeal #640B. Secure contributions may be
made online visit our website at www.churchworldservice.org
http://www.churchworldservice.org/ or sent to Church World Service, P.O. Box
968, Elkhart, IN, 46515.

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