Sudan says press and aid groups can move without restriction inside Darfur over next 3 months

Sudan will allow all NGOs and the press to circulate without restriction in all the states of Sudan's Darfur region, a Sudanese minister announced Tuesday, says unsourced article at Sudan Tribune May 16 2006. Excerpt:

The Government has granted all charity organizations and all media organs the right to access to all areas inside the three states of Darfur for a period of three months that would be evaluated and assessed, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Costa Manyebi, said in the meeting with the foreign organizations operating in the Sudan.

The minister proposed the formation of a joint work team that would include the local national parties as well as the relevant voluntary organizations to set up mechanism and plans for the reactivation of humanitarian action in the region and for the implementation of the DPA.

He said this mechanism would work to make the peace durable, sell the DPA for all concerned sectors of the Darfur society, contain the effects of war in the region and convince the movements that have not yet signed the peace agreement to join the peace process. The minister confirmed that the government pays attention to the criticism levelled against the voluntary work law that has been recently passed by the National Assembly.

Manyebi said this law has now become a reality but that it has to be implemented through a number of regulations and bills and that at that stage that criticism could be taken into account.

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May 16 2006 Reuters Sudan to announce new rules for Darfur aid groups

May 17 2006 UN News Centre UN rights chief raises concerns over restrictive law with Sudan's government

May 18 2006 Reuters (Opheera McDoom) Sudan tightens foreign press travel to Darfur

May 18 2006 AP via ST - Sudan lifts NGO restrictions, urges peace on Arab tribes - US - Sudan is lifting travel restrictions on international agencies in the Darfur region, but pressure must be kept up on Khartoum to make sure it keeps its promises, the chief US negotiator on Darfur said Thursday. US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said he was also informed late Wednesday that the Sudanese government "has notified the Arab tribes in the region that any breach of peace would be met with a very strong response."