SECRETARY-GENERAL ALARMED BY DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN DARFUR REGION OF SUDAN

SECRETARY-GENERAL ALARMED BY DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

IN DARFUR REGION OF SUDAN

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is alarmed at the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Darfur region of the Sudan, and by reports of widespread abuses against civilians, including killings, rape and the burning and looting of entire villages.  Insecurity is also severely hampering humanitarian assistance efforts as many of the 1 million civilians affected by the conflict remain beyond the reach of relief workers.  

The Secretary-General calls on all parties to the conflict to take all possible measures to reduce the impact of hostilities on civilians to the absolute minimum, including by granting humanitarian organizations safe and unimpeded access.  He strongly encourages all parties to join the peace talks on Darfur that are scheduled to resume tomorrow, 10 December, in Abeche, Chad and urges them to finalize an all-inclusive ceasefire without further delay and respect it.

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