G8 call on Khartoum to disarm Janjawid militias

Leaders from the world's seven wealthiest countries plus Russia, commonly known as the G8 leaders, who have been meeting in the United States have called on the Sudanese government to immediately disarm the Janjawid militias ravaging western Sudan's Darfur area.

"We call especially on the Sudanese government to disarm immediately the 'Janjawid' and other armed groups which are responsible for massive human rights violations in Darfur," said a joint statement issued on Thursday by the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US.

Despite the 8 April ceasefire signed by Khartoum and Darfur's two rebel groups, reports of gross violations of human rights, many with an ethnic dimension, were continuing, the leaders said. They called on the parties to the conflict to immediately and fully respect the ceasefire, allow unimpeded access to those in need, and create the conditions necessary for the displaced to return safely to their homes.

The leaders pledged their countries' support in ending Sudan's wars and in providing aid, but stopped short of suggesting any action that might be taken against Sudan if the Janjawid were allowed to continue their attacks on civilians.

Since the conflict in Darfur erupted in February 2003, an estimated 1.3 million people have been displaced within the region and up to 200,000 have fled into neighbouring Chad. Human rights organisations have accused government-allied Arab militias of carrying out "a scorched earth campaign of ethnic cleansing" aimed at forcibly moving non-Arab farming communities off their land by killing them, burning their villages, looting their cattle, destroying their water points and raping their women.

The government - which has never accepted responsibility for the humanitarian crisis caused by the mass displacement - denies backing the militias against the non-Arab communities, saying the militias were armed to fight the rebellion in the region.

In an open letter to the G8 leaders, the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank said the international community must be prepared to act to save hundreds of thousands of lives in Darfur.

"The international community must recognise that the government of Sudan bears primary responsibility for this crisis. If that government fails to take immediate steps to rein in the militias and facilitate relief, the international community must make it clear that it will act," said Gareth Evans, the ICG president.

The UN Security Council should pass a resolution demanding that Khartoum implement its promise to provide immediate access to aid operations; it should urge the deployment of additional observers to monitor the ceasefire and provide protection for IDPs; should consider introducing a no-fly zone over Darfur if bombing reoccurs; and it should consider imposing targeted sanctions against officials of the government most responsible for the campaign of ethnic cleansing, said ICG.

G8 leaders meet annually to discuss a broad-based agenda addressing international economic, political, and social issues. The EU also participates, represented by the president of the European Council and the president of the European Commission.