Darfur crisis 'approaching tipping point'
Concern is growing about the fate of millions of Sudanese civilians
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Saturday, 18, Nov 2006 07:29
Sudan's humanitarian crisis is entering a key stage as both renewed violence and diplomatic efforts take place this weekend.
Fresh attacks on villages in the east African country's unstable Darfur region have been instigated by the Sudanese government and its sponsored janjaweed militia, the BBC reports, in an attempt to crush rebels resisting in the area.
The violence, which is feared will include repetitions of the widespread rape, pillages and burnings of entire villages seen previously in the conflict, has been matched by the first concerted action from the international community this week, however.
Yesterday the Sudanese government agreed that UN forces would help the existing African Union peacekeepers in the region.
Jan Egeland, the UN's humanitarian chief, sought to place emphasis on the importance of the acceptance of the UN contingent when he spoke to reporters earlier today.
"This is the moment of truth for Darfur," he was reported as saying by the Reuters news agency.
"We are playing with a powder keg, it could get infinitely worse. We have now a historic moment of opportunity as in Addis Ababa. We saw an agreement come out for a renewed political effort to settle this man-made disaster."
Observers fear that the limited nature of western intervention, which will not see any non-African troops deployed in the region, will not be sufficient to prevent further deaths of innocent civilians.
A study published in the Science journal in September claimed that at least 200,000 people have died so far as a result of the conflict in Darfur.