Brussels, 30/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has strongly condemned the latest escalation of violence and growing insecurity in the Darfur (West Darfur) which has taken place since the middle of September.
In a press release, Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for development policy and humanitarian aid, says: “Almost three million people, which is half of the population of Darfur, are living in the greatest of danger because of this conflict which has gone on too long. These people owe their survival to the wonderful work done by humanitarian agencies. But the events of the last few days have forced the humanitarians to leave areas where their presence is vital. The violence against civilians and humanitarians and the military attacks must cease immediately. The first priority it to get help to the thousands of people who are deprived of aid today. I wholeheartedly condemn the attacks carried out over the last few days, in flagrant violation of the ceasefire. Those which targeted civilians, displaced people and refugees are particularly disgraceful because they go against the most basic principles of humanitarian law”. Louis Michel emphasised the need for a positive conclusion to the peace talks underway in Abuja and said that "the Commission will spare no effort to contribute to the search for a sustainable, balanced and fair solution to the conflict in Darfur”. Promoting the search for a sustainable peace, supporting the forces of the African Union in carrying out their mandate to monitor the ceasefire and protect the populations, and supporting the action of humanitarian organisations are the three parts of the Commission's policy in the region, Louis Michel recalled.
(EU) EU/CUBA: 30/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a declaration from the UK Presidency published on 28 September, the EU has “noted with grave concern the situation of political prisoners, Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, Victor Rolando Arroyo and Felix Navarro, all in extremely poor health through hunger strikes undertaken in protest at the conditions in which they are being held”. In the declaration, the EU “calls on the Cuban authorities to take immediate action to improve the conditions of detention of these individuals and other political prisoners who are being held in circumstances that fall below the UN Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners”, and reiterates the urgent request it addressed to Cuba to “release unconditionally all political prisoners still detained”.