U.N. envoy pessimistic on Sudan
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 Aid workers attend to seriously malnourished children in Darfur.
 Some aid is reaching refugees in Darfur, but not nearly enough.
 Refugees in Darfur face the threat of disease in overcrowded camps.
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KHARTOUM, Sudan -- The United Nations' envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, is pessimistic the government in Khartoum will be able to meet is commitments to relieve the country's growing humanitarian crisis.
Speaking to media Wednesday in Khartoum, Pronk said a lack of security was holding back the return of around 1 million displaced people to their homes.
"I don't see a voluntary return of more than 1 million displaced people to their villages to start in the next three weeks because of lack of security," Pronk said, according to The Associated Press.
Pronk described the Darfur situation as a "tragedy" in which people were still being killed, and he demanded the Khartoum-based Arab-dominated government stop violence and question anyone connected with these "terrorist acts."
The United Nations said on Tuesday that government-backed Arab militia called Janjaweed were continuing to attack the Darfur region using helicopter gunships causing more more displacement. (Full story)
But the Sudanese army denied it had resumed air attacks, saying in a statement the armed forces were adhering to an April 8 cease-fire agreement.
However, a Human Rights Watch report released on Wednesday said armed government forces and Arab militias continued to attack men, rape women and steal livestock in the region.
"The Sudanese government insists that it is taking significant measures, but the continuing atrocities in Darfur prove that Khartoum's claims simply aren't credible," said Peter Takirambudde, executive director for Human Rights Watch's Africa Division.
"If the government were serious about wanting to protect civilians, it would welcome a greater international presence," he added.
Sudan's government however says it is taking action against the Janjaweed militia. Khartoum has less than three weeks to disarm the militants or face unspecified U.N. sanctions.
The United Nations describes the situation in Darfur, brought on by 18 months of internal conflict, as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
Pro-government Arab militias have been waging a counterinsurgency campaign that has led to widespread destruction, as many as 30,000 deaths and the displacement of around 1 million people.
Aid agencies estimate about 2 million people are in urgent need of food and medical aid.
The 18-month conflict in Sudan began when black African factions in Darfur rose up against the Sudanese government, claiming discrimination in the distribution of scarce resources in the large, arid region.
Since then, government-backed Arab militias, have gone on a rampage, destroying villages, killing and raping.
Under a joint plan agreed with the United Nations, Sudan said it would establish safe areas for displaced refugees and halt military operations in those regions.
The U.N. Security Council gave Sudan an August 30 deadline to disarm the militias.
A July 30 resolution also demanded Khartoum improve security, human rights and humanitarian assistance in Darfur.
Despite claims from Khartoum the situation was improving, Human Rights Watch said the government appeared to be backtracking on the timeline set out by the Security Council resolution.
The report said the government was incorporating the Janjaweed into police and other security forces.
"Incorporating the Janjaweed militias into the security services and then deploying them to protect civilian 'safe areas' is the height of absurdity," said Takirambudde.
"The Sudanese government needs to bring war criminals to justice, not recruit them into positions of responsibility."
Human Rights Watch also said an increased international presence on the ground is urgently needed to improve the protection of civilians, assess the government's actions and stabilize the region.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
