Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the crisis in Darfur; and the efforts being pursued at present at EU level to help ensure that civilian refugees receive the food and medical attention needed. [34302/08]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I remain deeply concerned at the situation in Darfur, and the ongoing suffering of its people. As a result of ongoing violence, the broader humanitarian situation in Darfur continues to be characterised by forced movement of civilians, continuing increases in internally displaced persons (IDPS) and rising tension in camps.

Ireland and our European Union colleagues are particularly concerned that humanitarian aid has stopped in many areas, in particular Jebel Marra. The European Union has called on all the parties to unconditionally honour their cease-fire commitments, and to abide by international humanitarian law, Human Rights Conventions and the resolutions of the Security Council. In particular, humanitarian workers and the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) must have free access to these areas, and UNAMID must be free to carry out its civilian protection mandate. The international community must of course go beyond alleviating the symptoms of this humanitarian crisis to address its causes, and the EU and Ireland fully support UN and African Union efforts to bring about a lasting peace.

Through the military mission, EUFOR Tchad/RCA under the operational command of Irish Lieutenant General Pat Nash, the EU is also helping provide security for those Darfuris who have fled across the border into neighbouring Chad.

The fracturing of the main rebel groups over the past year, and the apparent determination of the Government of Sudan to pursue a military solution make the search for peace even more difficult. I and my EU colleagues welcome the appointment of Djibril Bassolé as joint AU-UN chief mediator in June 2008, and we are hopeful that his committed efforts to bring the two sides together will be successful, despite the disappointing lack of political will apparent on all sides.