Sudanese parliament chief slams US Senate resolution on Darfur

Dec 7, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The Speaker of the Sudanese Parliament, Ahmad Ibrahim Taher, has accused parties in the US Congress of hindering the peace process in Sudan by resorting to the Darfur Accountability Act of 2005.

Taher did not specify any names but said the Darfur Accountability Act was an example of how US legislative institutions targeted Sudan.

He said hostile groups were behind this act and he did not rule out that it would send a negative signal to the armed groups in the Abuja talks

Taher said such resolutions could produce negative repercussions on the climate of the negotiations in Abuja, pointing out that in the past the USA had resorted to similar laws as a punishment during the talks on peace in the south in Nairobi.

It is worth recalling that the Darfur Accountability Act, which was unanimous endorsed by the US Senate, will be discussed by the US parliament next week.

The act calls for freezing Sudan’s membership in the UN so that it can implement all its commitments with regard to ending attacks on civilians, urging the Janjaweed and other militias to lay down weapons, facilitating relief operation and allowing refugees to return without any obstacles.

(ST)