Darfur refugee says US envoy unwelcome in camps

The U.S. special envoy to Sudan is not welcome in Darfur's refugee camps because he has downplayed the scope of the crisis there, a refugee representative said Friday. Scott Gration, the U.S. envoy, began his fifth trip to Sudan Wednesday in the south and plans to visit the refugee camps in the western region of Darfur later to assess the humanitarian situation. Abu Sharati, a representative of the refugees, however, said Gration is not welcome after he suggested the displaced should return home and the U.S. should ease its sanctions on Sudan. "Gration came to Darfur, and saw the problems of the people of Darfur, the lack of security and food shortage, now he doesn't talk about that anymore," Abu Sharati told the Associated Press by telephone. "He reported that the Sudanese government is not terrorist and the Darfur problem has eased," he said, adding that they wanted Gration to be replaced.