asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree with the United Nations Rapporteur, Leonardo Franco, that 4.5 million people have been displaced from their homes since 1983, as a result of internal conflict in Sudan; and whether their information shows that as many as 150,000 have been displaced since April 1999 from the oil-producing areas in and near Ruweng country. [HL1528]

The long-running civil war has caused great suffering to the Sudanese people, including displacement. We are aware of reports of displacement in oil-producing areas such as the recent Canadian Harker report. We shall continue to press for a peace settlement which will benefit all Sudanese.