2 Million have already died in civil war; only 10 countries are ranked lower on UN human development index... For more: CAREUSA.org To help aid organizations: BBC

DARFUR CRISIS IMPERILS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
4 June 2004

The refugee crisis in Darfur, in western Sudan, is deepening, with more Sudanese seeking refuge in the dangerous neighboring country of Chad. The UN has designated the Darfur crisis the world's worst humanitarian disaster at present. Earlier this week, the UN hosted a major donor conference in Geneva, and the US has since pledged an additional $188 million, in order to address the growing unrest and escalating risk of mass starvation among the refugee communities.

16 June: Darfur refugee tells BBC government-backed militia plan to exterminate all black Darfurians... 15 June: Annan urges all UN member nations to act now to prevent humanitarian disaster in Darfur... 11 June: USAID chief says with aid expect to lose 1/3 million in Darfur, without aid the number soars...

Though the issue seems to have been skirting the mass media radar in the US, this new pledge brings to almost $300 million in aid invested by the US in this troubled region. The UN has cited incidents of mass killing that it classifies as ethnic cleansing, carried out by government backed Arab militia. The ongoing violence has made the distribution of aid extremely complicated, leading to fears that even a massive and immediate infusion of cash for UN aid will not alleviate the suffering of the throngs fleeing into neighboring Chad.

The BBC has reported an estimate that as much of 1/3 of the Darfur refugee population may still perish due to malnutrition and the spread of disease, due to conditions on the ground which militate against the speedy and effective distribution of aid. A tentative ceasefire may be expanded to included the Darfur region, but UN, US, and EU observers warn that there is a serious need to secure the region and to put an end to the rule of rogue militia bands. Fears that Darfur could become another Rwanda, albeit under very distinct political circumstances, has fueled the spread of concern among wealthier governments.