Sudanese rebel Beja Congress raps UN over mediation efforts

Sept 12, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — A prominent leader in the rebel Beja Congress has said that UN is unqualified to become a mediator in the talks between the Congress and the Sudanese government because it UN bows to the whims of some powerful countries which influence its decisions.

Speaking to Al-Khartoum newspaper, the Beja Congress leader, Salih Mohamed Hasaballah, said the pressure which was exerted on the UN secretary-general’s representative to Sudan Jan Pronk has caused him to abandon his initiatives to mediate between the government and the Beja Congress.

He further said that most of the time the UN expresses the wishes and opinion of some powerful countries, which he did not name, which influences its decisions making it incompetent to sponsor mediation efforts.

He said that UN officials had in the recent past issued contradictory statements, adding that the Beja Congress would make effort to get an unbiased and trustworthy mediator who understands the aspiration of the people of eastern Sudan.

Hasaballah further added that negotiation efforts between his faction and the government are still facing a serious setback.

“The government had in the past announced its readiness to negotiate with the eastern rebel movements” he said, accusing the government of playing a policy of superiority.

However, he strongly denied any communication with the government on issues regarding the movement’s participation in the government of national unity.

“This is a movement with its own institutions, and no one has ever communicated with it in this regard”, he said.

He said that whatever is being speculated in this regard is merely a rumour by the media, adding that people of eastern Sudan have their rights, and demands which cannot be ignored.