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Powell says Sudan atrocities now equaling genocide
Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that abuses by government-supported Arab militias in Sudan qualify as genocide against the black African population in the Darfur region — a determination that should pressure the government to rein in the fighters. Powell told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the conclusion was based on interviews conducted with refugees from the Darfur violence as well as other evidence. "We concluded that genocide has been committed in Darfur and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed (Arab militias) bear responsibility — and genocide may still be occurring," he said. He added that that as a contracting party to an international genocide convention, Sudan is obliged to prevent and punish acts of genocide. "To us, at this time, it appears that Sudan has failed to do so," he said. Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-09-09 |
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