The United Nations should increase its international monitoring force in Sudan because the country's government has not stopped Arab militia attacks on civilians in Darfur.

A UN envoy's report on Wednesday to the Security Council stopped short of recommending economic and diplomatic sanctions against Sudan, however.




Jan Plonk prepared the report after the UN gave the Sudanese government 30 days to disarm the janjaweed militiamen. They're accused of killing and raping tens of thousands of black African villagers over the past 18 months in the western region of Darfur, next to the border with Chad.

More than 1.4 million people have fled their homes in the face of the violence, which observers say the Sudanese government tolerated and possibly even supported.

Earlier this year, the United Nations called the situation the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

Adding to the chaos, the government in Khartoum had restricted the delivery of humanitarian relief to Darfur, denying aid groups and diplomatic observers access to the region.

Plonk's report said the Sudanese government has begun lifting those restrictions, as well as improving security around refugee camps and taking the first steps to disarm the Arab militias.

There has also been "some progress" in the form of pledges that refugees will not be forced to resettle in their devastated villages once they return from camps in Chad.

However, the report said, "attacks against civilians are continuing and the vast majority of armed militias has not been disarmed."

Plonk is expected to brief the 15 members of the UN Security Council on his report on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters in a conference call from Bosnia on Wednesday, Defence Minister Bill Graham said the federal governmnet has no plans at the moment to send troops to Sudan to support an African Union mission in Darfur.

Graham said Canada has agreed to send about $250,000 worth of military vests, helmets and other gear to outfit African Union troops, though.