Sudanese mininste urges holdout Darfur rebels to join peace accord

June 14, 2006 (NAIROBI) — Sudanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Elsamani Elwasila Wednesday appealed to Darfur’s holdout rebels to join the May 5 peace agreement to end a conflict that has killed around 300,000 people and forced 200,000 to flee their homes in the vast, arid region.

The rebels should quickly join the unity government and negotiate with partners in the administration to address their demands before and after elections expected to be held in 2008, he told journalists in Nairobi.

The Sudanese minister said “We appeal…to them to think nationally rather than regionally,” The Associated Press reported.

Sudan’s government will continue trying to persuade holdout groups to join the peace process “because it is the responsibility of the government to convince everybody to come on board” and the unity governmnent wants all shades of political opinion to join it ahead of the elections, he said.

The rebels should join the peace agreement before June 23, when signatories to the accord are expected to begin six months of key confidence-building measures – including identifying the locations of their combatants, gathering them at assembly points, laying down arms, giving up the weapons and integrating rebel fighters into national security services, he said.

(ST)