Darfur rebel leader urges France Africa summit to stop war in Darfur

May 30, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — A Darfur rebel leader today urged the participants in France Africa conference to adopt concrete measures to stop war in Darfur.

Abdel Wahid Al-Nur called on the French president and the other African head of states and governments who participate in France-Africa summit which will take place in Nice on May 31 and June 1, 2010 to take a tough stance to stop war in Darfur.

“We call particularly on the French President Nicolas Sarkozy to put pressures on the Sudanese government to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur,” he said adding African leaders have to give more support to such efforts and to convince Khartoum to make needed concessions for a lasting peace in the region.

Sudanese government is represented by a delegation led by Vice President Ali Osman Ali Taha. Ghazi Salah Eddin who is in charge of Darfur dossier is among the members of the Sudanese team.

Fighters loyal to Abdel Wahid Al-Nur who did not join the Doha peace process repelled this week an attack by government troops in eastern Jebel Marra.

The military spokesperson of the Sudan Liberation Movement – Abdel Wahid Al-Nur (SLM-AW), Nimir Mohamed Abdelrahman, said in a statement to Sudan Tribune today that their forces clashed with the Sudanese army on May 27 in Dirabat surrounding areas in Jabal Marra.

“Our forces repelled the attackers and killed 270 Sudanese army troops, captured 13 SAF members from different ranks and cornered the rest of the government forces,”Nimi said.

“Furthermore; our forces also destroyed seven military armoured vehicle of the government and has taken other five armoured vehicles,” he added.

The rebel spokesperson said the aerial bombing by the Sudanese warplanes killed two old men and three children. He also said they lost three fighters and seventeen others wounded.

Nimir reaffirmed the Sudanese army is massing troops to carry out new attack. The government is still sending more troops to these areas from Niyala. About 35 armoured vehicles now arrived to Malam, he said.

Al-Nur also urged the conference to support the International Criminal Court (ICC) which issued three arrest warrants for President Omer Al Bashir, a former state minister and a militia leader for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.

“We appeal on the summit to back efforts by the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to arrest President Bashir and bring him to international justice, as he refuses to appear voluntarily before the judges.”

The recent fighting in eastern Jebel Marra between the government and rebel groups triggered new waves of IDPs who do not receive the needed assistance because insecurity pushed the aid groups to suspend their operations.

Humanitarian situation in Darfur remains serious, said John Holmes top United Nations aid official, during a visit to South Darfur on Saturday urging local authorities to facilitate the activities of aid groups.

Al-Nur also said the Sudanese authorities arrested eight Internally Displaced persons (IDPs) in Zalingi, South Darfur on Sunday. He accused the local authorities of working to dismantle the camps.

(ST)