Sudan says will fight Darfur rebels “even if the whole world screams”
March 21, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — A senior Sudanese official today said that the military campaign in Darfur will continue unabated.
Nafi made the statements in a meeting with a limited group of reporters including the daily Al-Hayat newspaper which published his remarks.
There was a recent upsurge in fighting when the Sudanese army launched an offensive on three towns to retake them from the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) early February.
The attack on Abu Surouj, Sirba and Suleia towns, forcing an estimated 200,000 from their homes — 12,000 of whom have fled into neighboring eastern Chad.
The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said about 12,000 Darfuri refugees had crossed into eastern Chad after Friday’s air and ground attacks. The attacks drew worldwide condemnation including the UN.
Nafi also reiterated his government’s willingness to negotiate with Darfur rebels “with no pre-conditions”.
However the powerful Sudanese official ruled out any plans to give up the NCP’s share in the government of National Unity.
“The NCP is not naive or stupid to give up power and liquidate itself” he added.
Nafi said that “those who want the NCP to relinquish its share in the government would not accept that the South portion be compromised”.
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between North and South gives the NCP 52 percent of executive positions, the SPLM 28 percent, other southern groups six percent and northern parties 16 percent.
The NCP official also slammed Western nations saying they gave Sudan “nothing but empty promises” despite signing peace agreements all over the country because of the Darfur crisis.
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)