Darfur peace partner rules out quick return to Khartoum

August 12, 2008 (KHARTOUM) –Sudan’s senior presidential assistant Minni Arcua Minnawi ruled out returning to Khartoum unless the ruling party implements a peace agreement signed two years ago.

Minnawi made the statements to Al-Jazeera Arabic TV based in Qatar after meeting the US special envoy to Sudan who is currently visiting the country.

“Darfur is far from peace. Anyone who says there is stability in Darfur is lying” Minnawi said.

He further said that the move by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir and the assault by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on the capital prove the instability of Darfur.

In his meeting with Williamson, Minnawi called on Washington to do more tp help implement the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA).

Al-Bashir and other Sudanese officials have constantly stressed that most of Darfur is stable and that the Western media is exaggerating the conflict.

Minnawi left the Sudanese capital 3 months ago and informally suspended his participation in the government leading to speculations that he defected from the government of national unity.

It was reported at the time that he arrived in the Chadian capital and met with President Idriss Debi. However the former rebel leader firmly denied these reports.

Exactly two years ago the Sudanese government has signed the DPA with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction led by Minnawi who was appointed as the senior assistant of the Sudanese president in August of the same year.

However, Minnawi’s faction persistently accused the NCP of ignoring the implementation of the DPA.

The presidential assistant also accused Khartoum today of expanding its military campaign in the war ravaged region. However he did not elaborate.

Al-Bashir speaking from Nyala on July 23 urged Minnawi to return to Khartoum and resume his functions. He pledged to implement what is left of the Darfur Peace Agreement. He also promised to integrate Minnawi’s forces into the armed forces.

But a few days after Al-Bashir’s visit to Darfur Minnawi’s faction accused Sudan army of conducting attacks on their forces.

Sudan’s army said they regularly conducted “administrative operations” along that route but denied any attack on Minnawi’s forces.

UN experts estimate some 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes. Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.

(ST)