Sudan sets up interim authority in Darfur

Sept 27, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir issued on Wednesday a presidential decree on setting up an interim authority in the western region of Darfur.

The decree stipulated that a regional interim authority of Darfur should be established in accordance with the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), which the Sudanese government signed with a main faction of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi on May 5, 2006.

The interim authority will be chaired by Minawi, who was appointed as the senior assistant of the president following the signing of the DPA, and will include governors of three states in Darfur.

Minawi will announce the establishment of the first Darfur government in the next few days, according to the decree.

President al-Bashir also issued three other decrees to establish a committee for compensating war-affected people in Darfur, a committee to demarcate the northern borders of Darfur and Committee for Rehabilitation and Resettlement in Darfur.

All these panels are established in accordance with the DPA.

The Darfur conflict erupted in February 2003 when anti- government forces accused the government of marginalizing the region and took up arms against it.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict and up to 2.5 million others displaced as a result of the turmoil.

(ST/Xinhua)