The US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that he held a very candid conversation with Sudanese leaders in which they came to a common understanding that the janjawid militias must be controlled, contained, crushed, and stopped from perpetrating further violence against the civilian

Sudan, US Agree to Crush Any Militia:Powell Expresses Satisfaction for Sudan's Willingness for Political Reconciliation

By: Michael Koma

Speaking in a press conference at Khartoum International Airport, Powell said that the Sudanese military and police forces must devise a security environment for the displaced camps and the entire countryside, so that the displaced people could return to their homes to start and rebuild a new life. Powell stressed that if security is improved, then the US and the international community could support the Sudanese government to assist its own people. He added that it is clear that a political reconciliation is needed in order to resolve the humanitarian crisis. "In our candid conversation I was very pleased with the attitude of the Sudan government and their willingness to get engaged as quickly as possible in the political reconciliation process under the auspices of the African Union," said Powell.

The Secretary of State mentioned that they have also discussed the role of the African Union monitoring forces currently working in Darfur and he hoped that they would start building up their capacity to set up offices throughout Darfur to monitor the situation. Powell disclosed that United States and Sudan have agreed over specific items that could be done in the days and months ahead to improve the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur. Powell said the US will contribute additional funds to boost humanitarian efforts in the area. "We are the largest financial in humanitarian contributor to Sudan and we will continue to be so. I am going to encourage other nations who have made commitments to Sudan to meet those commitments on the ground, to help the Sudanese people," Powell promised. After his visit to Darfur, Powell said that he held extensive and candid discussions with tribal leaders and NGOs "who are doing such a marvelous work out in the field," in the camps that he had visited. Powell said that he came out from the trip in Darfur with the understanding that there is humanitarian crisis, but what is really needed most is to restore security in order for the humanitarian situation to be resolved. "People are in the camps because of the violence in the countryside. We don't want to keep them well feed in the camps, but we want them to be back home. But for them to go home, security has to be dealt with," advised the US Secretary of State.

In his part, Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail, confirmed that they have agreed on three points to be met in the coming period. He said that the government would do its best in a time frame to get more police and more armed forces to Darfur to combat any militias and Janjaweed, to bring security and protection for the civilian population. The Minister said that they would work hard to lift any restriction facing humanitarian agencies before the rainy season, and they are going to speed up work on the political solution in close cooperation with the African Union, hoping that in a very short time they would reach an agreement with the rebels. Dr. Ismail pledged Sudan government would work closely with the UN and entire international community to normalize the situation in Darfur. He expressed gratitude to the US Secretary of State, and assured that the UN would have Sudan's full cooperation in this regard.