|
|
| African crises escalate as AU leaders meet in Libya
|
|
|
| |
Sirte, Libya (PANA) -
As African leaders gather here Wednesday for a summit aime
d at discussing peace and security across the continent, British humanitarian gr
o
up Oxfam International said over 1.4 million
people have been forced to flee their homes so far this year as a result of sign
ificantly increasing violence in DR
Congo, Sudan and Somalia.
Oxfam said the increasing level of forced displacements was forcing five people
to flee every minute in Africa, and that African
leaders had failed to take steps to stop the increasing cases of forced displace
ments.
At the last AU Summit, in January 2009, leaders failed to address these ongoing
conflicts or take measures to protect civilians from
violence and suffering, Oxfam said.
Since then, it said, violence in eastern DRC, south-central Somalia and southern
Sudan has escalated even further and countless more
lives have been destroyed. The rest of the international community has been equa
lly ineffective
“Every minute of every day since AU leaders last met has seen the equivalent of
a family of five made homeless by these conflicts. The
AU must unequivocally condemn such suffering. It is unacceptable that right now
African women continue to be raped, men killed, families
torn apart and the lives of generations of children are shattered,” said Desire
Assogbavi, Oxfam's Senior Africa Policy Analyst .
Oxfam called on the AU to put renewed emphasis on sustainable diplomatic and pol
itical solutions to these conflicts, rather than
military actions that bring yet more death and misery for civilians, such as thi
s year's offensives in DR Congo and northern Uganda.
It said the AU had in the past played a key role in forging the peace agreement
between northern and southern Sudan which, although now
facing serious challenges, demonstrates what can be achieved when there is suffi
cient political will.
DR Congo has seen the highest levels of displacement since the start of the year
. Up to 800,000 people in eastern DRC have fled as a result
of a new UN-backed military offensive by the Congolese army, which began in Janu
ary and has led to numerous reprisal attacks by FDLR
rebels.
Terrified communities have told Oxfam staff of widespread rape, and burning and
looting of villages in North and South Kivu.
“The AU must tell the Congolese government that such massive suffering will not
be tolerated. While FDLR atrocities must be addressed,
government troops are also committing unacceptable human rights violations,” sai
d Assogbavi.
In the past six months, southern Sudan has seen some of the worst violence and d
isplacement since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement. Around 200,000 people have fled increasingly deadly conflicts linked
to tribal clashes, cattle raids and North-South
tensions.
Meanwhile, Darfur remains the scene of one of the world’s biggest humanitarian c
rises, and the ongoing conflict has displaced at
least 140,000 people so far this year – most fleeing to already severely overcro
wded camps, and now receiving even less aid following
the recent expulsion of humanitarian agencies.
“With the peace agreement looking increasingly fragile, urgent diplomatic attent
ion is needed. AU governments played a key role in
forging the peace deal - they must now help keep it alive. A return to war would
have devastating consequences not only for Sudan but all its
neighbours,” said Assogbavi.
Tens of thousands more people have also been made homeless in northern DR Congo
and southern Sudan by ongoing attacks from northern Uganda’s
Lords Resistance Army (LRA). A joint military offensive against the LRA launched
in late 2008 has failed to halt its attacks on civilians.
In Somalia, 160,000 people have fled the capital Mogadishu since May, after an u
psurge in fighting between the Transitional Federal
Government and opposition groups and militia.
Most are sheltering in vast camps around the city, where conditions are dire as
deteriorating security makes it harder than ever for aid agencies to
reach people in need.
Oxfam therefore called on the AU to urge all parties to the conflict to respect
international law, cease fighting in populated areas and
allow the safe delivery of aid.
“Peace and security in Africa have made great strides forward over the past deca
de – there are now fewer conflicts across the continent, and
African peacekeepers have intervened to protect civilians. However, the ongoing
humanitarian suffering and conflicts in these three countries are delivering a
fatal blow to the hopes of a peaceful and prosperous future for Africa. The AU m
ust step up and challenge those that are responsible, and say that
enough is enough,” said the Oxfam official.
|
| |
| Sirte - 01/07/2009 |
| |
|
|