Darfur rebel leader says Khartoum recruiting militia from Niger

April 24, 2007 (LONDON) — The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement accused today Sudanese government of recruiting Arab tribes from Niger to constitute new militia in worn torn Darfur region.

The leader of the rebel SLM, Abdelwahid al-Nur on Monday accused Khartoum of recruiting 17 thousand of Mahamid Arabs of Niger. Al-Nur said Darfur Arab tribes refuse more and more to participate in Sudanese government plans in Darfur.

He further said that SLM engaged intense dialogue with Arab tribes in Darfur and several reconciliation meetings were organized by the SLM.

He said the Mahamid are now settled in different parts of Darfur form Habila area area in west Darfur to Dab Nirah , Bendfi, Jumaiza and wadi Salih.

In October 2006, the Niger’s government suspended deportation of nomadic Arabs, who fled warfare and drought in neighboring Chad during the 1980s.

Abdelwahid said Khartoum in doing so, continues to carry its initial design to re-define the demographic reality of the region. He added that National Congress government wants to generalize the chaos in the country by adopting the priciple of “War of all against all”.

The rebel leader reiterated that deployment of international troops is only can secure lives of the IDPs and the refugees. He further said they will not engage peace talks with Khartoum as long as Darfur civilians are not protected.

More than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million made refugees in Darfur since 2003, when ethnic African rebels took up arms against the Arab-led Sudanese government, accusing it of neglect and discrimination. The government is accused of arming the janjaweed as a counterinsurgency tactic, and the militiamen are blamed for widespread rapes and killings against Darfur civilians.

(ST)