Darfur rebels want trials, no-fly zone before talks

By Nima Elbagir

KHARTOUM, June 26 (Reuters) – Rebels from Sudan’s remote Darfur demanded on Saturday the imposition of a military no-fly zone, free access for aid workers and war crimes trials for Arab militias who have looted and burned throughout the region.

In an urgent letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who will both visit strife-torn Darfur next week, the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) made a list of demands which must be met before political talks can begin.

“With reference to your expected visit to Sudan…this subject is the protection of Sudanese civilians who are isolated and in danger and who are being threatened with genocide crimes, transfer and organised starvation because of their ethnicity,” said the press release sent to Reuters from London.

After long conflict between Arab nomads and African villagers, two rebel groups launched a revolt last February in Darfur, accusing the government of arming the Arab militias known locally as Janjaweed.

The fighting has driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes and triggered what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

The rebels’ statement said humanitarian agencies should be allowed to fly aid and workers directly into Darfur, and a military no-fly zone should be imposed on the area.

It added more than 158,000 refugees encamped in neighbouring Chad and 1 million displaced should be returned to their homes once they had been paid compensation by the Khartoum government.

It also formally asked for a judicial investigation into what it called “war crimes” in Darfur, and to prosecute those responsible under international law.

“After all this then, and only then, can there be talk of direct political negotiations on the issues of power, development, security, legislation and the legal status of the region and its relations with the centre (Khartoum).

Khartoum signed a humanitarian ceasefire with the two rebel groups on April 8, but both sides have since accused each other of violations.

Powell will threaten to press for U.N. sanctions on the oil-rich country next week if Khartoum does not agree to U.S. demands, U.S officials said. The United States and the EU on Saturday urged Sudan to stop the Janjaweed and allow complete access to aid workers.