GENEVA - Sudan on Tuesday rejected accusations by a UN human rights mission that it is guilty of war crimes in Darfur, saying the mission had a "preconceived and hostile" attitude which rendered it invalid. Justice Minister Mohamed Ali Elmardi told a session of the UN Human Rights Council that the mission headed by Nobel peace laureate Jody Williams had produced a "questionable" report which would damage the council's credibility.
"I can say without hesitation ... that the situation in Darfur, since the eruption of the conflict three years ago, has never been much more stable than it is today," Elmardi said.
The mission's report on Monday accused Sudan of orchestrating human rights abuses and war crimes in Darfur, while also criticising the international community's failure to protect civilians.
Sudan's government has "orchestrated and participated in these crimes," it said.
"Witnesses, victims and observers we met repeatedly confirmed joint action between government forces and armed militia in assaulting civilian targets in Darfur," the report added.
Sudan refused to grant visas to the mission, citing alleged bias amongst some of its members.
"No consideration was paid to our legitimate and objective reservations and concerns" with regard to the mission's composition, Elmardi said.
"The chairperson of the mission also took, after her appointment, a preconceived and hostile attitude against Sudan," he claimed.
The UN estimates that the fighting in the western Sudanese region between rebels and government forces or allied militia has led to some 200,000 deaths, with a further two million forced to flee their homes.
03/13/2007 15:12 GMT