Darfur rebel group meets with UK special envoy to Sudan
May 19, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — A Darfur rebel faction met with the UK special envoy to Sudan in the Eritrean capital for discussions on a peace initiative made by the British prime minister last month.
The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) faction led by Khamis Abakr issued a statement saying they discussed the British offer for hosting Darfur peace talks.
The SLM said that the UK special envoy Michael O’Neill emphasized the British role in seeking a peaceful resolution to the Darfur conflict.
Last April the British Prime Minister has proposed to host peace talks between Sudanese government and rebel groups in order to end the five year civil war in western Sudan.
However Khartoum said it is still reviewing the proposal and some rebel groups said it is “premature” before security arrangements are in place in Darfur.
The rebel delegation told O’Neill that they “refuse to recognize the Abuja [Darfur Peace Agreement] as a basis for any future negotiations”.
The SLM faction also stressed that “all parties to the Darfur conflict should be included in the peace process”.
The statement quoted the UK special envoy as condemning Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) claims that they are the only movement in Darfur and that it is an “obstacle to the peace process”.
Last March JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim told Reuters that “the main players in Darfur are JEM. There are really no other groups in Darfur apart from JEM.” Other factions, he said, were just a “media phenomenon” with no real support in the ground.
The rebel group also told O’Neill that the international community “needs to pressure the National Congress Party [ruling party in Sudan] to stop its ground and air military offensive and all acts of aggression against civilians and disarming all militias in Darfur and Sudan generally”.
SLM said in the statement said they “expressed concern over reduction of food rations to refugees in Darfur denying that rebel groups have an interest in blocking flow of humanitarian aid”.
International experts also say more than 300,000 were killed and 2 million have been driven from their homes by the conflict in Darfur, a region that is roughly the size of France.
(ST)