Sudan’s eastern rebels in first talks with govt next month

Oct 23, 2005 (ASMARA) — The Sudan’s Eastern Front rebel movement said Sunday it would next month meet the government of Sudan for first-ever peace talks, after fighting broke out in June between rebels and government forces.

Rebels from Sudan’s Eastern Front parade during a conference held by the Front north of Kassala town, near the Eritrean border. (AFP).

Amna Marar, the Eastern Front rebel deputy chief, said the meeting, whose venue was not yet known, would be held with United Nations mediation.

“It will be the first-ever peace talks between the government and us. The first step in a long walk,” Dirar told AFP.

“The meeting with the government will take place next month, we don’t know where yet, and the UN will be the mediator,” she said. “We would like Eritrea to be part of the UN mediation.”

Formed this year, the Eastern Front, who are supported by Eritrea, accuse the government of Sudan in Khartoum of marginalising eastern Sudan, the arena of sporadic fighting since 1994.

But Eritrea, while acknowledging its support for the rebels, denies accusations that it provides them with military aid.

Dirar also expressed hope that the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), now part of the central government, would join in the peace talks.

“There is still no ceasefire for the moment between the Eastern Front and the government, but there will be if the negotiations go well,” said Dirar.

The latest heavy fighting broke out in June in east Sudan between rebels and government forces.

Dirar did not say whether there had been more fighting since June, but repeated the Front’s claim that the government had bombed civilians in June in the south-western Tokar region.

“The government knew it was a civilian area because there is water there, farming and animals,” she said.

Dirar renewed the insurgents’ demand for wealth-sharing with the central government.

“In east Sudan, you have the poorest of the poor. Yet our region is rich, we have ports, gold, oil, pipelines, and fertile land. We want justice and our share in the power and wealth of Sudan,” she said.

The Eastern Front has joined forces with the Beja Congress and Free Lions — a smaller rebel group — from the country’s Rashaida ethnic group.

The Beja Congress military wing was launched in 1994 and joined four years later by the Free Lions to fight marginalisation by the Sudanese government.