Oxfam urges Jack Straw to push for Peace in Darfur

The British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw arrived in Darfur, Sudan yesterday. On top of the great financial contribution from the UK towards aid work taking place in Sudan, Jack Straw, has now also put himself in close contact with the misery felt by the victims in Sudan.

On the same day Straw arrived, peace talks between the Government of Sudan and the rebel groups opened in Nigeria. Straw came carrying a big commission to bring an end to the violence in Darfur, as well as carrying the burden of expectation from many charities and politicians.

Straw is to discuss the crisis in war-torn Darfur with Sudan’s President Omar al-Beshir and senior officials including Vice-President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha as well as Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail. He will also make a visit to the Abu Shouk refugee camp in Darfur.

“Jack Straw’s visit shows commitment to addressing the continuing crisis in Darfur. But diplomacy and promises are not enough,” Jasmine Whitbread, Oxfam’s International Director commented, “the people he meets in the camps will have high hopes that his visit will help end the violence that pushed them from their homes. We urge Jack Straw to use his visit to ensure the international community does all it can to end the violence once and for all. Time is running out for the people of Darfur.”

The International Agency also has high expectation from Straw’s visit, saying it is a sign of continued engagement by the British government to help resolve the crisis in Darfur.

Meanwhile, Straw has urged Sudan to comply with U.N. demands to end the conflict in Darfur, “I will ... impress on them the need to make full progress in implementing the obligations they have accepted under the U.N. Security Council resolution.”

Straw’s talks with the Sudan government so far have proved to be fruitful. After meeting Sudanese Mustafa Osman Ismail on Monday, Straw was pleased by the Sudanese Capital Khartoum’s pledge for allowing the British offices of rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch access to Darfur.

Alongside Straw’s visit, Oxfam is helping over a quarter of a million people throughout Darfur and eastern Chad. In the Abu Shouk camp, where Jack Straw is scheduled to visit, Oxfam is providing clean drinking water, toilets, bathing facilities, water containers and household items, hygiene kits and public health promotion for the 60,000 people that live in the camp.