Sudan’s Darfur rebels reject peace talks unless demands are met

ADDIS ABABA, July 17 (AFP) — Two rebel movements in Sudan’s western Darfur region on Saturday refused direct political negotiations with the Khartoum government to end a conflict raging there unless their demands are met, officials said.

Chief among these was a demand that Khartoum pull its regular forces and allied militia from the region, which, after 17 months of conflict, is in the throes of what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

“We have no reason to meet the government for political discussions which (may) lead us to a peace settlement when the government is not implementing the demands of the international community (and) while the Janjawid, supported by the government, are killing innocent people on the ground,” Ahmed Hussein Adam, spokesman for rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) told AFP.

Adam was also speaking on behalf of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), another rebel group that has been fighting in the region since February 2003, in a war that has claimed at least 10,000 lives and displaced more than a million others.

African Union (AU) mediators have been meeting officials of the Sudanese government and two rebel groups since Thursday in an effort to kickstart peace efforts amid mounting concern over the area’s civilian population.

The rebels also insisted that Khartoum step up efforts to counter Darfur’s humanitarian crisis, where a major famine is looming, and recommit itself to an April 8 ceasefire — which both sides are accused of violating.

They additionally called for an investigation into war crimes such as “ethnic cleansing” and the prosecution of all perpetrators.

“Without fulfilling the demands…, there is no reason for us to enter into a substantial political dialogue,” with Khartoum, Adam explained.