Today: Wednesday November 26, 2008 UK aid agencies call for EU to intervene in Congo London <http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/menu-234/key-775/>, Nov 26, IRNA
UK <http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/menu-234/key-11943/>-Congo<http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/menu-234/key-42822/> -Aid Agencies <http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/menu-234/key-70081/> British aid agencies joined Amnesty International human rights groups Wednesday to urge Prime Minister Gordon Brown to press for an EU force to intervene in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to protect civilians. At a protest demonstration outside the Prime Minister's Office, campaigners warned that time is running out in Africa's third largest country and that European leaders must do more to prevent further killings. "Some 5.4 million people have already died in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 1998. How many more lives must be wasted before the world decides to act?" said Phil Bloomer, campaign and policy director at Oxfam. "There has been welcome high-octane diplomacy from the UK government but time is ticking and the government must act now to protect those at risk," Bloomer warned. A similar demonstration was being held in Paris calling on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to do more ahead of a key UN Security Council meeting to agree steps to send in a reinforcement of peacekeepers, but which the aid agencies feared could take months. A broad coalition of former presidents, prime ministers, diplomats, military commanders and others were expected on Thursday to publish an open letter sent to European heads of state urging them to 'speedily agree to the temporary deployment of an EU force.' In London, demonstrators held watches standing beside a giant clock outside Brown's office, urged the British government to take immediate and decisive action. "The UK government has said that the international community has a responsibility to help the people of DRC. Providing protection means getting an effective peacekeeping force on the ground now," said Shuna Keen of Christian Aid. "This means in days or weeks. It cannot mean months. We are calling on Gordon Brown to make a public promise that the UK government will not tolerate any delay," Keen warned. Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, said it was 'clear from ongoing reports that killings, rape and the recruitment of child soldiers are still occurring in the region, and not enough support or protection is being given to the people'. "The UK government has to do more. It can offer specialist resources and equipment as well as urge partner nations to bolster the peacekeeping force," Allen said. She said that a durable political solution can only happen if security and stability are restored. Other organizations supporting the demonstration included Muslim Aid and the Muslim Council of Britain joining other religious and campaign groups.
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