Darfur rebel JEM agrees to attend peace talks

Sept 9, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), one of two major rebel groups in the Sudanese western region of Darfur, agreed Friday to attend peace talks with Khartoum’s government, sponsored by the African Union (AU), in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on the 15th of this month, said the AU.

Bahar Idriss Abu Garda JEM’s Secretary General .

A statement issued by the AU mission in Sudan said that Secretary General of the JEM, Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, confirmed during talks with the envoy of the AU mission’s chairman that the movement will participate in the peace talks in mid-September, as scheduled.

The statement quoted Qardhah as saying that any modification on the talks date must be approved by all concerned parties.

The AU had previously postponed the peace talks, supposed to take place on 25th of last month, in response to a request by the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), the main rebel group in war-torn Darfur. The SLM, however, had not agreed yet to take part in the peace talks, due to internal disagreement among the movement’s leaders.

On 15 August 2005, Khartoum and Darfur’s rebels signed an announcement of principles for comprehensive peace in the troubled region.

Darfur had been the battle field for armed conflicts since February 2003. Fights there had killed more than 70,000 people, more than 1.5 million became homeless, and around 200,000 others moved to neighboring Chad seeking a shelter.

(KUNA/ST)