SLM- Minawi welcomes UN Pronk call to amend Darfur deal
July 3, 2006 (PARIS) — Sudan’s Darfur main rebel group, who signed Abuja deal with the Sudanese government, welcomed Pronk’s statement to amend the deal in order to meet holdout rebels’ demands.
The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Minni Minawi praised a paper written by the UN envoy to Sudan Jan Pronk in which he admitted the necessity to amend the African Union mediated Drfur Peace Agreement to meet key rebel demands to save the foundering agreement.
The SLM- Minawi spokesperson, Esam Edin al-Haj, renewed the demand — of the wing opposed to the DPA within the movement — to suspend Abuja deal signed on 5 May.
He urged the international community to support Pronk position saying the DPA provoked the deterioration of the security situation in the region. He also appealed the international community to protect civilians against killing.
Despite the signing of the peace deal with the Sudanese government, the SLM Minawi is still divided over this deal. The formation of a new rebel front hostile to the DPA encourages the anti-Aubja deal wing to extend his opposition particularly they represent considerable military commanders who are opposed to the deal and exposed to join the holdout groups.
(ST)