Britain: Immediate Sudan sanctions unlikely

LONDON - A majority of U.N. Security Council members oppose immediate heavy sanctions on Sudan if it fails to quell ethnic violence in its western Darfur region by a deadline at the end of the month, Britain's Foreign Office said Friday.

Some countries opposed sanctions on principle; others feared that interests in Sudan would be damaged by economic embargoes; and others - including Britain - were wary of giving the impression that the "international community is beating up on the government of Sudan," a senior Foreign Office official said.

On July 30, the Security Council gave Sudan 30 days to disarm the Arab militia, known as Janjaweed, or face economic or diplomatic punishment. More than 30,000 people have been killed and a million forced to flee their homes in Darfur, which the United Nations has deemed the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Days before British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's visit to Sudan, officials said council members were still debating what to do if Sudan misses its deadline - but that swift, severe action was unlikely.

The Darfur conflict began 18 months ago, when black African rebel groups rose up against Sudan's Arab-dominated government, claiming discrimination in the distribution of scarce resources in the large, arid region. Since then, Arab militias have destroyed villages, killing and raping across the region.

International rights groups have accused Khartoum of backing the Janjaweed in an ethnic cleansing campaign against the African villagers. Sudan says the fighting is a result of tribal conflicts.

However, a U.N. official said the Sudanese government demonstrated it has influence over some of the Arab militiamen by promising to give the United Nations in the coming week a list of fighters believed to be involved in the bloodshed.

"The government used to refer to the Janjaweed as a bunch of thugs and absolutely denied any ties with them," said Radhia Achouri, spokeswoman for the U.N. Mission in Sudan. "But by promising to provide this list, they are admitting they have influence on some members."

Othman Mohammed Youssef, governor of North Darfur, told Al-Arabiya TV the Janjaweed have committed acts of violence, but denied the government backed them.

"They (the Janjaweed) have killed, we don't deny. They have burned, we don't deny. But what we confirm is that this wasn't at the orders or directions of the government," Youssef said.

The Darfur conflict has grave regional implications, with some 180,000 refugees already crossing over the volatile border into Chad. The United Nations on Friday warned that tens of thousands more refugees could flee Darfur, further straining Chad's resources.

African Union-sponsored peace talks are scheduled for Monday in Nigeria.

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