Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco (PSE). – (ES) Mr President, at this time when we still want – although I do not know whether we are able – to remain hopeful about the peace agreement signed in May, we are witnessing the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the region, which many other Members have already described.

The European Parliament is once again issuing its opinion on the situation in Darfur and, in my particular case, I am adding my voice to that of the victims: the civil population, the women and the children of Darfur.

Since the armed conflict broke out three years ago, the appeals from the humanitarian agencies have become increasingly desperate. They have been entirely in vain. The more than 50 000 dead, the two and a half million internally displaced and the 500 000 refugees illustrate the tragedy of a region in conflict better than anybody’s words could.

In its resolution, my group introduced its grave concern about the violation of the rights of children and the generalised rape of women as a weapon of war. This has unfortunately not been included in the compromise resolution, as if it were of no importance.

Hundreds of thousands of children killed, disappeared, sexually abused, kidnapped, displaced, used as soldiers and then abandoned etc. can be counted and identified and, furthermore, have no access to humanitarian aid.

We are all to blame, not just the Khartoum government and the military and guerrilla factions. There is complete impunity despite the fact that Sudan had ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocol on children in armed conflicts.

We also have specific data indicating that, last August, more than 200 women were sexually assaulted in one single camp, and that is something that humanitarian organisations had been warning us about. This information is telling us more and more about the infernal spiral into which Darfur is being plunged and in which, once again, the bodies of women and girls are often the favoured battleground of the soldiers and guerrillas.

With regard to things that are happening today, in another camp of displaced people, rather than being protected, women have been raped and are being prevented from reaching …

(The President cut off the speaker)