Sudan ‘s rebels, government gather for talks on Darfur

By DANIEL BALINT-KURTI, Associated Press Writer

ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug 23, 2004 (AP) — Pushed to end what the U.N. calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, envoys of Sudan ‘s government gathered in Nigeria Monday for talks with rebel leaders in Sudan ‘s bloodied western Darfur region.

Majzoub al-Khalifa Ahmad, a Cabinet minister and government delegate to the last, failed Darfur peace talks in July, led Sudan ‘s government delegation to Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, for what are to be one-day talks.

Two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement, assembled high-level delegations for the talks.

Eighteen months of conflict in Darfur have killed tens of thousands and driven 1.2 million others from their homes.

Tensions between nomadic Arab tribes and non-Arab African villagers exploded in February 2003 when the two Darfur rebel groups took up arms over what they regard as unjust treatment by the government in their struggle with Arab countrymen.

The U.N., the U.S. and others accuse Sudan ‘s government of backing pro-government Janjaweed militia in a violent ethnic-cleansing campaign of killing, rape and razing communities.

In a goodwill gesture on the eve of peace talks in Nigeria, Sudan ‘s government said Sunday it would cut the number of official paramilitary forces operating in Darfur by 30%.

U.N. spokesperson Radhia Achouri welcomed the move, saying the paramilitary Popular Defense Forces have been blamed for committing various acts of violence against African tribespeople in west Sudan ‘s three Darfur states.

“It is a positive step because these forces are one of the reasons of concern for us because they are armed and have been involved in the (violent) actions we want to stop,” Achouri told The Associated Press in Egypt in a telephone interview from the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

Sudan ‘s state minister for interior affairs, Ahmed Mohamed Haroon, said Sunday that the 30% reduction in the volunteer force’s numbers was ordered to build confidence ahead of the African Union-sponsored peace talks, and to help implement a rarely heeded April 8 cease-fire agreement.

It is unclear how many paramilitary forces operate in Darfur, but they are believed to outnumber the more than 60,000 army and police personnel stationed throughout the region.

Haroon said further reductions will occur if rebel forces adhere to the cease-fire.

“We are not saying the security threats are now nil, but we are saying that the level of threat has decreased,” Haroon told reporters in Khartoum. “We will reduce the state of alert more (if) the other side shows cooperation.”

Also on the eve of the talks, host Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo suggested African Union troops be used to help disarm both sides in the conflict.

More than 150 AU troops from Rwanda are currently in Darfur protecting some 80 union monitors observing the largely ignored cease-fire. Another 150 soldiers from Nigeria are expected to arrive in coming weeks.

While the troops’ mandate does not spell out how far they can go to protect targeted civilians, Obasanjo, the current AU chairman, said Sunday that the soldiers and Sudanese government “must work together to garrison the rebels and put them somewhere where their arms can be collected.”

“While that is happening, the government of Sudan must weigh heavily” on Arab militia known as the Janjaweed to disarm, Obasanjo said in an interview broadcast on state television. “The Janjaweed have been … armed by the government.”

Khartoum has repeatedly denied it is supporting the Janjaweed, but the U.N. said Friday that the Sudanese government has acknowledged they have “control” over some Janjaweed fighters in the region.

The rebels walked out of the last round of talks in Ethiopia on July 17, accusing the government of ignoring existing peace accords.