Two Darfur rebel leaders arrive in Abuja for peace talks
Mar 12, 2006 (ABUJA) — Two of the rebel leaders arrived in Abuja over the weekend in a sign that the rebel groups understood the negotiations had reached a critical point.
Minni Minawi, leader of one of the factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Khalil Ibrahim, head of the smaller Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) arrived yesterday in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
Since the seventh round of talks started more than three months ago, Minni has spent more time consolidating his position on the ground in Darfur and neighbouring Chad than at the talks, while Khalil had not previously attended the round at all.
JEM’s official spokesman Ahmad Hussein said that the arrival of Khalil Ibrahim at the negotiation’s venue would boost the negotiation process. He said Ibrahim would meet the mediators and avail his capabilities to African mediators. He pointed out that the JEM’s negotiating delegation had a complete mandate. ‘
The Sudanese Akhbar al-Yawm questioned SLM’s leader Minawi and JEM’s leader Ibrahim upon their arrival by private plane from Libya. Minawi said that his visit to Libya had been successful and that he had met the Libyan leader. “Gadhafi was keen to resolve the Darfur problem peacefully,” he said adding that he had reiterated that SLM was also keen to resolve the problem.
“We agreed with Gadhafi that the problem needed to be resolved peacefully without resorting to war or armed work,” Minawi added.
In this regard the leader of JEM said “I hope that by coming to Abuja I will help resolve the problem of Darfur peacefully.”
The visit by Minawi and Khalil coincided with a stop over in Libya by the Second Vice-President of the Republic Ali Osman Taha. As a result information and news in Abuja reported a meeting between Taha, Minawi and Ibrahim under the direct or indirect auspices of the Libyan leader.
Akhbar al-Yawm tried to ask Minawi and Khalil about the truth of the matter but the SLM and JEM spokesmen declined to make any comment.
(ST)