African Union submits proposals for military observers in Darfur

ADDIS ABABA, April 30, 2004 (dpa) — The African Union (AU) disclosed Friday it had submitted “comprehensive proposals” to the Sudanese government and the two rebel groups for the establishment of a Ceasefire Commission and the deployment of African military observers in Darfur.

The proposals, which were submitted Thursday at the N’djamena talks in Chad, seek “to monitor, investigate and verify allegations of violations of the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement signed on 8 April 2004 by the Sudanese parties,” the AU said in a statement.

It said following the submission of the proposals, the Sudanese government and the two rebel groups – the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement – had requested more time “to consult internally” on the proposals.

The international community has accused Sudan’s Islamic regime of cooperating with ethnic Arab militias that have stepped up attacks in recent months on the Darfur region’s population of black Africans, who are also Moslem. Two rebel groups in Darfur are seeking greater autonomy and a larger share of the region’s mineral wealth.