US envoy accuses Darfur rebel leader of allying with Janjaweed militia
By Wasil Ali
December 11, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — A senior US official accused a prominent Darfur rebel leader of trying to forge a military alliance with a major Janjaweed leader in the war ravaged reason.
Natsios described this development as a “major event” saying that he doesn’t think al-Nur “wants to have it publicized”.
Khartoum mobilized proxy Arab militia to help quell the revolt of Darfur rebels who took up arms against the government in February 2003, saying Khartoum discriminated against non-Arab farmers and neglected the region.
The Arab militia known locally as Janjaweed, pillaged and burned villages and killed civilians. The Sudanese government has called the Janjaweed outlaws and denied supporting them.
The US official said that Hamiditi despite being funded by Khartoum felt betrayed by the central government.
Mubarak al-Fadil, leader of the Umma Reform and Renewal told Sudan Tribune in an interview earlier this week that Hamiditi defected from the government along with his 20,000 heavily armed supporters.
The opposition leader said that Hamiditi felt that the “government abandoned him after they accepted the peacekeeping force as well as the fact that they are not paying them as they are used to”. Al-Fadil added that the Sudanese government used the air force against Hamiditi in South Kordofan to quell his rebellion.
Natsios also accused al-Nur’s forces of making physical threats against IDP’s who participate in the election process to choose their advisory council. He also said that the Sudanese government is trying disrupting the IDP election process.
“We urge the government to stop that” he said.
The US envoy said that despite al-Nur being popular in IDP camps he has reasons to believe that his support is dwindling because “people are getting impatient”.
On Monday Reuters quoted an unidentified French official saying that al-Nur, who is residing in Paris, will be expelled by December “due to his rejection to participate in Sirte negotiations. However, al-Nur denied this allegation saying France didn’t ask him to leave.
Al-Nur has refused to participate in peace talks before the deployment of peacekeepers and achieving security on the ground.
His demands have caused deep frustration among diplomats and the Sudanese government who called on France to expel him.
Sam Ibok, advisor to the African Union Special Envoy for Darfur, speaking along with Natsios called on al-Nur to return to Darfur instead of “living in the luxury homes of Paris”.
International experts estimate 200,000 people have died in the conflict, which Washington calls genocide, a term European governments are reluctant to use. The Sudan government says 9,000 people have been killed.
(ST)