Darfur peace talks too slow, need push – mediators
Jan 19, 2006 (ABUJA) — The African Union has criticised the Sudanese government and rebels for failing to make progress in talks aimed at ending three years of killing, rape and looting in the western region of Darfur.
Talks have stalled over issues of power sharing and how to create a final ceasefire and they need to be revitalised, according to an AU statement quoting its chief mediator Sam Ibok.
“Ibok made clear to the Sudanese Parties the disappointment of the African Union Peace and Security Council, and the United Nations Security Council over the slow progress so far achieved,” the statement issued late on Wednesday said.
“The current round of the peace talks had been characterised by inflexibility, suspicions and the absence of a minimum level of confidence,” it said.
The AU-mediated talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja made little progress in six previous rounds due to rebel divisions and fighting on the ground.
The parties finally began to tackle the main issues in November, raising hopes that a deal could be reached during this seventh round to end a conflict which has killed tens of thousands and forced more then 2 million from their homes.
The mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 saying the central government had marginalised Darfur and pursued a policy of preferential treatment towards local Arab tribes.
The United Nations blames Khartoum for arming Arab militias known as Janjaweed to fight the rebels.
The Janjaweed stand accused of a campaign of killing and rape, which Washington has called genocide. Khartoum rejects the charge but the International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes in the region the size of France.
The AU special envoy for Darfur, Salim Ahmed Salim, had described the talks to end the conflict as “disturbingly and agonisingly slow,” the statement added.
The mediators urged the parties to resume talks with vigour and reminded them of the millions of Darfuris living in makeshift camps in the region, waiting for an end to the fighting so they could return home.
The rebels want a vice-president from Darfur and an autonomous regional government, both suggestions the government rejects after conceding a high level of autonomy to southern rebels a year ago to end a brutal conflict.
(Reuters)