Sudanese opposition welcomes peace accords

CAIRO, May 28 (AFP) — The Sudanese National Democratic Alliance, a coalition of the northern opposition and southern rebels, welcomed Friday the signing of accords paving the way for an end to 21 years of civil war in southern Sudan.

The group was quoted by Egypt’s MENA news agency as saying it hoped the accords would be a step toward a resolution to all of Sudan’s problems, including the conflict in the western region of Darfur.

Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) capped two years of intense political negotiations by signing key documents on how they will share power once the war ends.

Sudan’s government and main rebel group will enter the final stretch of peace talks in Kenya on June 22 to discuss technical aspects of a permanent accord, rebel and mediation sources said.

Chief mediator Lazaro Sumbeiywo has predicted that a final peace accord would be ready for signing by mid-July.

The war in Sudan erupted in 1983 when the south, where most observe Christianity and traditional faiths, took up arms to end domination and marginalisation by the wealthier, mainly Muslim north.

Together with recurrent famine and disease, the war has killed at least 1.5 million people and displaced four million othe