Sudan president says Darfur rebels Western-backed
Feb 16, 2007 (DUBAI) — Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said in comments published on Friday that Darfur rebels who rejected a 2006 peace deal were backed by the West.
Speaking to the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper on the sidelines of African talks in the French city of Cannes, Bashir said that instead of punishing rebels that rejected the peace deal, a United Nations resolution had put the onus on Khartoum.
“The elements that reject the agreement move with freedom in Western capitals and receive financial and military support … and due to this support have been successful in controlling the northern section of Darfur,” Bashir said. “Is this not a direct threat to Darfur and to security and peace?”
One of the biggest Darfur rebel factions said on Thursday it would respect a ceasefire and was ready to resume peace talks with Sudan’s government to try to halt violence in the region that has killed some 200,000 people.
Peace talks have faltered in the past with only one of three main rebel factions signing a 2006 deal. Since then the rebels have fragmented into numerous factions but the one that agreed to the ceasefire on Thursday is one the largest.
The announcement came after U.N. Darfur envoy Jan Eliasson and his African Union counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim met Darfur rebel commanders who rejected the 2006 peace deal.
Rebels have in the past rejected AU mediation of new talks because it mediated the first deal which they said was biased.
Bashir appeared to have made his comments before Sudan agreed at talks with its neighbours Chad and Central African Republic not to support rebels attacking each other’s territory.
In his comments to Asharq al-Awsat, he accused Chad of backing Darfur rebels under the nose of the United Nations.
“These movements were initially present in the refugee camps where they were carrying out military training and where Chad opened its borders and airports to get weapons to these groups and to facilitate their movement to Darfur, and this is happening within the sight of the United Nations,” he said.
“No one has condemned Chad or the states that send arms, but accusations are always against the Sudanese government and Janjaweed,” he said, referring to a pro-government militia.
Violence in Darfur has spilled over to Chad and Central African Republic, who blame Khartoum.
(Reuters)