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March 30, 2007

UN Human Rights Council Adopts Resolution on Darfur
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=16DBE5F:A6F02AD83191E160D1946F07EADC6E7A9574F7DCC14957C0 Resolution
expresses concern over situation in war-torn region, but stops short
of directly criticizing Sudanese government



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Michael Steiner, Ambassador of Germany Presidency of the European
Union, speaks off the record about the UN Briefing Outcome of the
Special Session of the Human Rights Council on Darfur, 30 March
2007The U.N. Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution expressing
concern over the situation in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, but
stopped short of directly criticizing the Sudanese government.

The 47-member council approved the resolution Friday in Geneva. The
council also appointed a special team to work with the Sudanese
government to improve human rights in the region. The team will report
back to the council in June.

Earlier this month, a previous U.N. team headed by Nobel Peace Prize
laureate Jody Williams issued a report that said Sudan's government
has orchestrated and participated in large-scale war crimes in Darfur.

Sudan rejected the report, saying the team took a "preconceived and
hostile" attitude towards Sudan. The government had refused to approve
visas for that group to enter the Darfur region.

Darfur rebel groups began revolting against the government in early
2003. Four years of violence in the region has killed an estimated
200,000 people, and has displaced more than two million others from
their homes.

The earlier U.N. human rights team urged the Security Council to
deploy a peacekeeping force to Darfur to bolster an undermanned
African Union mission that has not been able to control violence in
the region.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir refuses to allow any U.N. forces to
enter the country.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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