'Only' 5 000 dead in Darfur
2004-09-08 23:13
Tokyo - Sudan's foreign minister said on Wednesday that fewer than 5 000 people had died in the country's war-torn Darfur region, far short of a United Nations estimate of up to 50 000 dead.
"Those who are saying 30 000 or 50 000, we are telling them, 'Tell us the names'," said Mustafa Osman Ismail at a media conference.
"Show us the graves where these people have been buried."
The estimate fell far short of one made earlier in Tokyo by UN high commissioner for refugees Ruud Lubbers.
He said 30 000 to 50 000 people had been killed since fighting began in February 2003 between anti-government rebels, militias, government forces, and what is known as Sudan's proxy Arab militia, the Janjaweed.
Sudan's government missed a UN deadline set for the end of August to disarm the Janjaweed and to withdraw its regular forces from around the camps of the displaced.
'We're waiting on the Abuja talks'
Ismail, who arrived on Sunday to meet top Japanese government officials, said Sudan was responsible for disarming the militia and Janjaweed, but the African Union forces should disarm rebels - a process that has not begun yet.
"It should take place simultaneously and together. So we are waiting for the talks in Abuja now to finalise the situation," he said.
Lubbers earlier told reporters he was wary of being given a rosy scenario by Ismail.
Ismail also said he asked for more troops from the AU commissioner for peace and security, ambassador Said Djinnit, who was also in Tokyo.