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12 October 2006 - Programme Number 121

UN Human Rights Office Calls for Independent Probe into Attacks in Darfur;
Jan Egeland Says World Must Pressure Sudan to Accept UN Force;
UN Envoy Sees Hope for Democracy in the Gambia

As the crisis continues in the troubled western Darfur region of Sudan, where armed militias attack civilians and kill civilians, the Office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner has urged the government of Sudan to order an independent investigation into these attacks. Spokesman Jose Diaz says there were massive attacks and possibly hundreds of people killed:

"Whatever the cause of the conflict, the fact is that it deals with massive and grave violations of human rights occurring on a daily basis. Things are, according to all accounts getting worse even since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement in May."

The Top UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Jan Egeland, says pushing for a UN Nations force in Darfur should not be left to Western Countries. He also expresses optimism about resolving the long-standing conflict in Northern Uganda:


"This global UN force which we need to provide security and safety for the civilian population for humanitarian work should be put by ASEAN governments, by African governments, by Arab governments, by Islamic countries. Everybody should be concerned."

Democratic elections are increasingly becoming a way of changing governments on the African continent. The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy, General Abdulsalami Abubakar has reported on the elections in the Gambia where he says there is need to support democracy.

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