European Union Urged to Take Tough Action as Insecurity Grows in Darfur
22 November 2004
International aid agency Oxfam today has urged the European Union to do what the United Nations Security Council has failed to do: end the violence in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
The call comes as the EU foreign ministers gather at the General Affairs Council Meeting to discuss the crisis that has forced more than 1.4 million people from their homes and left an estimated 70,000 people dead.
"The European Union must step into the void left by the UN Security Council's failure, and take action to stop the violence in Darfur," said Jo Leadbetter, head of Oxfam's European Union advocacy office.
Last week in Nairobi, in a set of rare meetings outside of its New York City headquarters, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a strong resolution to end the violence that has plagued the remote region of Darfur since early 2003. Oxfam condemned the council's weakness.
"From New York to Nairobi a trail of weak resolutions on Darfur has led nowhere," said Caroline Nursey, Oxfam's regional director. "We had all hoped that coming to Africa would have given the council a chance to turn a corner and deliver some concrete actions for the people of Darfur. We needed the council to take action now, not yet more diplomatic dithering."
The lack of action comes as security in the region continues to deteriorate, cutting off tens of thousands of homeless people from much of the vital aid they need. Looting and crossfire among armed groups has forced Oxfam to suspend road travel to four towns across Darfur. Helicopters are the only means Oxfam now has of reaching 150,000 people.
"Without road access, we are not able to get essential aid to Garsilla," said Nursey, referring to a town in West Darfur. "Thousands of people fled their homes with nothing and are in urgent need of mosquito nets and blankets."
Improving humanitarian access had been one of the Security Council's few claims of success, said Nursey, but the fighting and looting are reversing any gains made. Security in Darfur is worse now than it was six months ago, she said.
"One of our drilling rigs is not able to reach Kebkabiya, where we urgently need to start drilling for water," added Nursey. "The dry season is starting to close in on us , and water supplies are starting to become scarce for thousands of people camped in the town."
Oxfam officials say that tough action by the European Union represents one of the last hopes to press the warring parties in Darfur to stop the violence.
