Activists Press UN Security Council to End Darfur Suffering

Human rights activists are urging the U.N. Security Council to turn upthe pressure on the Sudanese government and quickly complete thedeployment of 26,000 U.N. peacekeepers to Sudan's war-torn Darfurregion. From United Nation's headquarters in New York, VOA's MargaretBesheer has more.

At an informal meeting with Security Councilmembers, activists and non-governmental organizations charged the15-member body is not doing enough to help the people of Darfur, morethan five years into a conflict that the world has called a genocide.

Theysaid the council must force the government of Sudan to comply with thenine resolutions it has adopted on Darfur and if Khartoum remains obstinate, sanctions must be applied.

"The failure to sanctionSudanese leaders for atrocities and commanding atrocities for some sixyears now, has simply encouraged the Sudanese government and itsmilitias to continue to kill, loot and rape with impunity. And they dothat as we speak," said Georgette Gagnon, the Africa Director of HumanRights Watch.

American Actress and Activist Mia Farrow blamedcouncil member China, which is invested in Sudan's oil sector, forprotecting Khartoum with its Security Council veto-power. "I don'tthink the government of Sudan could have continued in this way for morethan five years without the knowledge that it has the support of agiant - and that giant is China," she said.

John Prendergast,who co-chairs the ENOUGH project to end genocide and crimes againsthumanity, said because of its influence in Sudan, China has a largerresponsibility to help end the conflict. "They must fulfill that or weare going to see Sudan burn - and one of the first things that isgoing to burn is China's own economic interests," he said.

Chinahas come under increasing international pressure to use its influencewith the Khartoum government, especially as world attention turns toBeijing which is about to host the Summer Olympic Games.

TheUnited States, which holds the rotating presidency of the SecurityCouncil this month, organized Tuesday's informal meeting. U.S. SpecialEnvoy for Sudan Richard Williamson said Washington is "disheartened"that the deployment of the 26,000 promised peacekeepers is moving soslowly and warned that if more is not done the killing will continue.