AU reports violations of a ceasefire in Sudan’s Darfur by govt and rebels

By ANTHONY MITCHELL, Associated Press Writer

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Dec 10, 2004 (AP) — The African Union strongly condemned the Sudanese government on Friday for launching a military attack on the eve of renewed peace talks to end the crisis in the western Darfur region.

Baba Gana Kingibe, the representative of the head of the AU Commission, left, and the commander of the African troops in Darfur, Major Gen. Okomkwo tour the camp at El-Fashir Wednesday, Dec. 8,2004. (AP).

Alpha Oumar Konare, chairman of the AU commission, condemned the “serious and unacceptable” violation of the cease-fire agreement between the government and the rebels. Government troops launched an attack at Bilel and Isham on Dec. 8 to “clear roads of lawless elements” but sparked renewed fighting with rebel forces, the AU said in a statement.

Konare said the violation was especially serious because it came the day before peace talks were set to begin in Abuja, Nigeria. In a strongly worded statement released at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Konare also condemned rebel groups for attacks in north and south Darfur in late November.

The peace talks, sponsored by the African Union, aim to find a political solution to the conflict that has claimed about 70,000 lives. The AU also pledged to redouble their efforts for a speedy deployment of additional peacekeeping forces.

The AU say the full 3,320-strong peacekeeping mission, which will cost the international community US$220 million a year and will be in place by early January 2005. Currently there are 833 African peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur, an area the size of France.

The United Nations has described Darfur as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. But despite two U.N. Security Council resolutions urging the government to disarm Arab militias, the violence has continued. At a Nov. 25-26 meeting in Chad to discuss the latest violence, the African Union reported approximately 40 cease-fire violations by both sides since mid-August.

Darfur’s conflict started in February 2003 when two non-Arab African rebel groups took up arms to fight for more power and resources. The Sudanese government responded by backing the Janjaweed, which are now accused of targeting civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson.

International agencies estimate that since March, disease, malnutrition and clashes among the displaced have killed more than 70,000 people. More than 1.5 million people have been displaced.