For Immediate Release
October 4, 2004
2004-090

U.S. PROVIDES $600,000 FOR

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORS IN DARFUR

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development announced that the agency's Office of Transition Initiatives approved a $600,000 grant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) to double the number of human rights monitors in Darfur, Sudan. This is in keeping with UNHCHR head Louise Arbour’s recent call to increase the number of human rights observers from the current eight to 16.

The new funding will accelerate the efforts of human rights monitors to investigate human rights violations and report on serious abuses, such as killings, rapes, maiming, forced displacement, and the destruction of village infrastructure and livelihoods.

“The High Commissioner for Human Rights and the monitoring team in Darfur are an indispensable instrument for holding the Government of Sudan and the Jingaweit accountable for stopping the widespread atrocities against the civilians of Darfur,” Administrator Natsios said. “This effort is particularly important in the wake of Secretary of State Colin Powell’s determination that genocide has occurred – and may still be occurring.”

The grant is in addition to current humanitarian assistance funding by the United States, long at the forefront of the Darfur crisis by providing $243 million in aid to date. Of the $243 million, nearly $62 million has gone to help those refugees from Darfur who are now in eastern Chad. Through the end of fiscal year 2005, the United States expects to contribute more than $299 million in humanitarian aid for Darfur, as well as $27.4 million to the African Union mission.

The U.S. is joined by the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Norway in providing funds for the human rights monitors.

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