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<title>AXWORTHY AND MINNA CONDEMN AERIAL BOMBINGS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN AND CALL FOR RETURN OF NGOS TO THE REGION</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>March 7, 2000 <em>(1:45 p.m. EST)</em> No. 39</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial"><strong></strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>AXWORTHY AND MINNA CONDEMN AERIAL BOMBINGS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN AND
CALL FOR RETURN OF NGOs TO THE REGION</strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Minister for International Co-operation Maria Minna today
expressed outrage at the recent aerial bombings by the Government of Sudan of a hospital and grade school in
the southern region of the country. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"The sustained and intentional bombing of civilian targets by the Government of Sudan is reprehensible and
clearly demonstrates to the world that this administration is unconcerned with the human security of its
population," said Minister Axworthy. "The bombing of school children and the infirm by the military is
unacceptable and flies in the face of the Geneva Conventions and the protection of civilians in armed conflict."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In February, 14 children were killed when the Sudanese armed forces bombed a grade school in the Nuba
mountains. On March 1, two civilians died and three were critically injured when the military attacked the
Samaritan's Purse Hospital in Lui. Further bombings in southern Sudan are alleged to have taken place over
the past weekend.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Noting the terrible toll the conflict in Sudan takes on innocent civilians, Ministers Axworthy and Minna also
appealed to the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Association (SRRA), the relief arm of the Sudan People's
Liberation Army (SPLA), to negotiate the early return of 11 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that were
recently compelled to leave the region.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"The departure of 11 of the major relief NGOs from southern Sudan greatly reduces the capacity of the
international community to deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians," said Minister
Minna.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The NGOs, including World Vision, OXFAM Canada and Oxfam Québec, were compelled to leave SPLA-controlled areas of southern Sudan because of their reluctance<strong> </strong>to sign a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) with the SRRA. The NGOs contended that by signing the framework, which the SRRA alleged would
improve local capacity and self-sufficiency, they would have compromised the safety of their personnel, as well
as their capacity to deliver humanitarian assistance in an impartial manner. The Canadian government shares
these concerns.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Canada is currently working on new initiatives to bring peace to Sudan. These include: support for Leonardo
Franco, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Sudan; financial assistance to combat the abductions of
women and children; an undertaking to use Canada's presidency of the UN Security Council in April to address
the humanitarian impact of this conflict; further collaboration with the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights; and the opening of a Canadian office in Khartoum.</font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Canada is also promoting the development of a mechanism that would ensure the effective monitoring of public
expenditures, including military spending within the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank.</font><font face="Arial"> </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Finally, Minister Axworthy has repeatedly urged Canadian multinational companies to act in a responsible and
upstanding manner in their operations abroad, and to that end, has encouraged them to sign and adhere to the
International Code of Ethics for Canadian Business.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Debora Brown</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1851</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial">Robin Walsh</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister for International Co-operation</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(819) 953-3160</font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Canadian International Development Agency</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(819) 953-6534</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">E-mail: <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221010359/mailto:info@acdi-cida.gc.ca">info@acdi-cida.gc.ca</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Internet: <a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221010359/http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/">http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca</a> (electronic version of document)</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Internet site:</font></p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221010359/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/"><font face="Arial">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></font></p>
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