One in three women risk rape in crisis-hit Darfur

September 30th, 2009 Report: Sudanese refugees face rape daily in ChadNAIROBI, Kenya — Women and girls who fled the fighting in Darfur face rape and other violence daily in eastern Chad, even inside the very refugee camps where they have sought sanctuary, according to a report released Wednesday. The Amnesty International report says the women and girls are attacked by villagers living nearby, members of the Chadian army and aid workers in the camps.

September 11th, 2009 Darfur refugee says US envoy unwelcome in campsCAIRO — The U.S. special envoy to Sudan is not welcome in Darfur's refugee camps because he has downplayed the scope of the crisis there, a refugee representative said Friday.

July 14th, 2009 Sudan criticizes Obama for calling Darfur genocideKHARTOUM, Sudan — Sudan's government has criticized President Barack Obama for calling the conflict in Darfur a "genocide." Obama made the comment in a speech over the weekend in the African nation of Ghana. There has been a long-running debate over whether to characterize the conflict between Sudan's Arab-led government and ethnic African rebels in Darfur as a genocide.

July 4th, 2009 Ireland seeks release of Darfur aid workersDUBLIN, Ireland — The head of an Irish humanitarian aid agency appealed Saturday for the release of two of its employees kidnapped in Darfur. John O'Shea, chief executive of GOAL, said the group had not heard from the abductors of Irishwoman Sharon Commins, 32, and her Ugandan colleague, Hilda Kuwuki, 42.

June 11th, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR - A bus driver, who has been duping women into having sex with him on board his vehicle at the last stop, has been arrested after a woman lodged a complain that he had raped her. According to Kosmo!, the 33-year-old man, who got married on May 30, is said to be a smooth talker and would charm women, including schoolgirls, into making love with him after all the passengers had alighted at the last stop.he driver just did not stop there, after he had sex with the women he would promise them that he would continue with their relationship and marry them, reports the Star Online.

May 31st, 2009 Doctors group: Rape is common against Darfur womenNEW YORK — A survey of dozens of women who fled violence in Darfur found that a third of them reported or showed signs of rape, and revealed a widespread fear of sexual violence in their refugee camp in Chad, a human rights group reported Sunday. About half the rapes were carried out in Darfur by janjaweed militiamen allied to the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum, and half were assaults by Chadian villagers near the U.N.

May 14th, 2009 Rape is effective weapon of war, senators toldWASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of women, girls and babies have been raped during 12 years of conflict in eastern Congo, victims of a weapon of war that almost always goes unpunished, senators were told Wednesday. Similar atrocities are found in Darfur, the devastated western Sudan region where the United States said in 2004 that genocide was occurring.

May 14th, 2009 Rape is effective weapon of war, US senators toldWASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of women, girls and babies have been raped during 12 years of conflict in eastern Congo, victims of a weapon of war that almost always goes unpunished, senators were told Wednesday. Similar atrocities are occurring in Darfur, the devastated western Sudan region where the United States said in 2004 that genocide was occurring.

May 8th, 2009 Sudan: American aid groups considered for DarfurKHARTOUM, Sudan — The Sudanese government said Thursday that it would consider applications from American aid organizations to replace more than a dozen groups that were expelled from Darfur earlier this year. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir expelled 13 international aid groups and three local ones in March after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

April 30th, 2009 French, Canadian aid workers freed in DarfurPARIS — Two aid workers held hostage in Darfur, one French and one Canadian, were free Thursday after three weeks in captivity. The two women, sent to Darfur by non-governmental group International Medical Aid, were in good health, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said.

April 27th, 2009 UN envoy: Darfur now 'a low-intensity conflict'UNITED NATIONS — The war in Darfur is now a "a low-intensity conflict" with 150 deaths a month, down from the intense fighting that killed tens of thousands when it began, the peacekeeping chief in the Sudanese region said Monday. But he warned the U.N.

April 27th, 2009 2 US lawmakers, others arrested at Darfur protestWASHINGTON — Eight activists protesting the expulsion of aid groups in Darfur have been arrested in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington. Humanitarian leaders and U.S.

April 27th, 2009 5 US lawmakers, others arrested at Darfur protestWASHINGTON — Five members of Congress have been arrested while protesting the expulsion of aid groups from Darfur in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington. They were among eight people led away in handcuffs Monday after crossing a police line.

April 22nd, 2009 Darfur genocide inspires actress hunger strikeLOS ANGELES — Mia Farrow plans to begin a hunger strike next week in solidarity with the people of Darfur. The 64-year-old actress and humanitarian says she will begin a "fast of only water" on Monday "as a personal expression of outrage at a world that is somehow able to stand by and watch innocent men, women and children needlessly die of starvation, thirst and disease." Farrow was moved to begin the hunger strike after the Sudanese government expelled international aid agencies from the country last month.

April 21st, 2009 UN chief says over 1 million at risk in DarfurUNITED NATIONS — The United Nations chief warned Tuesday that Sudan's expulsion of 16 aid groups from Darfur has put the lives of more than 1 million people at risk and increased the potential for instability in the region. In a report to the U.N.