US walks out of UN in protest at Sudan move

THE US walked out of a UN meeting yesterday in protest at its decision to give Sudan a third term on the Human Rights Commission, the world body’s human rights watchdog.

US ambassador Sichan Siv called the vote an “absurdity” and accused Sudan of massive human rights violations and “ethnic cleansing” in the western Darfur region.

As Mr Siv walked out of the Economic and Social Council chamber, Sudan’s deputy UN ambassador Omar Bashir Manis launched into a heated response, accusing US forces of engaging in degrading treatment of Iraqi prisoners, using disproportionate force and committing “atrocities” against innocent Iraqi civilians.