Darfur rebels call for Sudan’s SPLM to join Abuja peace talks
Sept 23, 2005 (ABUJA) — The two main rebel groups from the Sudanese region of Darfur called Friday for the former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) to be included in African Union attempts to end their war with the Khartoum government.
But SPLM member Bagan Amoum said yesterday to the pro-government news service SMC that his movement should not involve directly in Abuja talks however it would play significant role to narrow the gap of differences between the disputed parties.
The SPLM, which fought a two decade long war against Khartoum in southern Sudan, was this week included in a new government of national unity designed to shore up a long-awaited peace deal.
Darfur’s rebels, who are waging their own campaign for greater autonomy for their western region, have already expressed their disappointment in the power-sharing regime, arguing that it remains unrepresentative of minority groups.
The groups — the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) — issued a joint statement at the ongoing AU peace conference in Abuja calling for the government delegation to be broadened to reflect the make-up of the new regime.
“In effect, the current negotiations are still restricted to talks between the Darfur movements and the National Congress fraction of Sudan’s government of national unity,” they statement said, refering to the ruling party of President Omar al-Beshir.
“Participation of the SPLM in the current negotiations is a necessity if we are to hope for a lasting agreement that is acceptable and can be implemented at a national level. It is our duty to insist that the SPLM must be a central and effective partner in making peace for Darfur,” it said.
For the past year the African Union has been trying to broker a peace deal between Khartoum and the Darfur rebels, and has deployed a large peacekeeping contingent to monitor a shaky ceasefire.
Since the rebels launched their uprising in February 2003 more than 300,000 civilians have been killed — many in murderous raids by government backed militias — and around two million people have been driven from their homes, according to UN relief agencies.
(AFP/ST)