أنان يتهم متمردي دارفور بالاغتصاب وقطع الطريق

Quote: News Article by AP posted on August 17, 2005 at 13:07:59: EST (-5 GMT) Annan accuses Sudanese rebels of "descent into lawlessness" in conflict-wracked Darfur UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan accused Sudanese rebels of increasing abductions, extortion and banditry in a "descent into lawlessness" that has intensified insecurity in the conflict-wracked Darfur region. The targeting of humanitarian workers, harassment and #####ng of civilians, and "unprecedented criminality" in the town of Nyala are also part of the "dangerous pattern" of violence caused by the prolonged conflict, he said. "While the daily rate of casualties from fighting has declined in recent months, the damage to the social and economic fabric in Darfur and the longer term costs of this conflict are steadily becoming clearer," Annan said in the report to the U.N. Security Council obtained Tuesday by the Associated Press. Fighting began when rebels from black African tribes took up arms in Darfur in February 2003, complaining of discrimination and oppression by Sudan's Arab-dominated government. The government is accused of unleashing Arab tribal militia known as the Janjaweed against civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson. At least 180,000 people have died -- many from hunger and disease. As of July 1, Annan said, 3.2 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.9 million were living in crowded camps in Sudan, cut off from their traditional lifestyles "and vulnerable to psychological as well as physical insecurities ." "I urge both parties to recognize that despite some stabilization of the security situation in Darfur, at a deeper level, living conditions are steadily deteriorating," he warned. "The longer the parties allow this climate of no war, no peace to continue, the higher the price to be paid for restoring safety, dignity and prosperity to the lives of all people in Darfur." The secretary-general demanded "urgent corrective action" by the rebels and the government . "First, they must control their military commanders and reverse the slide into predatory warlordism and criminal behavior," he said. He noted that the government still shows no intention of disarming the Janjaweed or other militias, "and is yet to hold a significant number of them accountable for the atrocities of earlier months ." Second, Annan said, the government and rebels must prepare to reach an agreement at the next round of peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, on Aug. 24 on the difficult and divisive issues of sharing power and wealth "which are at the root of the conflict in Darfur." The secretary-general said a peace agreement would honor the memory of John Garang, the southern rebel leader who became vice president in a national unity government only to lose his life three weeks later in a July 30 helicopter crash. Garang was expected to help resolve the Darfur conflict and "his death is a terrible blow for Sudan," Annan said. The secretary-general deplored the government's use of aircraft for observation during a retaliatory attack against Sudan Liberation Army rebels, saying this violated U.N. Security Council demands and its own pledge. The government said it was responding to a July 23 rebel attack against two convoys escorted by security forces . Annan demanded that the government stop using planes in offensive military operations . The secretary-general blamed the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement -- the rebel groups that first took up arms in Darfur and last month signed a declaration of political principles with the government outlining a long-term solution to the Darfur crisis -- for the "considerable rise" in July in abductions, harassment, extortion and #####ng . The abduction of Sudanese working for non-governmental organizations reached "alarming proportions" at the beginning of July with 10 being held by the SLA, he said. Ministry of Health teams conducting polio vaccinations were also abducted, he said. Annan also complained that banditry continues to plague Darfur's highways and the government hasn't done enough to prevent sexual violence and physical abuse of women and girls in the camps by armed men .