Nothing ruled out on Darfur, says PM
Tony Blair has said that no options are being ruled out in attempts to deal with the emerging crisis in Darfur.
Raising the ongoing conflict at Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Commons this lunchtime, the Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy asked what more action the UK government would take.
He warned: “We could be facing another Rwanda,”
Human rights groups have documented numerous case of systematic rape, murder and human rights abuses in Darfur carried out by the Janjaweed militia.
Over 100,000 people have fled to refugee camps in neighbouring Chad, but over a million people are estimated to be internally displaced within the borders of Sudan and unable to access their lands or villages.
Charities warn of the increasing threat of starvation and serious disease.
One group, Human Rights Watch, accuses the Sudanese government of engaging in ethnic cleaning in Darfur, alleging that it backs the Janjaweed.
Responding to Mr Kennedy, Tony Blair said that the UK was the second largest bilateral donor to the area and it was key to direct the aid to those that needed it most and to keep up the pressure on the Sudan government to stop the violence.
Asked by the Lib Dem leader if the international community should not prioritise the issue, with the incumbent need for more UN personnel in the area, the Prime Minister replied that he and Ministers had been in contact with other countries and the UN in recent weeks and nothing was ruled out in this situation.
The USA are believed to be circulating a draft UN resolution on the situation.
The UK based Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched an appeal on behalf of the people in Darfur on Tuesday and has already raised £2.5 million in aid.
