Sudanese govt., rebels accuse each other over collapse of peace talks
ADDIS ABABA, July 17, 2004 (Xinhua) — The Sudanese government delegation to the African Union (AU)-brokered peace talks on the Darfur crisis said here Saturday that the government has been materializing its promises and implementing the ceasefire signed in April.
In a statement issued here after the rebels walked out of the peace talks, the delegation described the withdrawal of the rebel groups as disrespect for the African regional bloc and the international community, saying that it was surprised by the conditions laid by the rebels.
However, the rebel groups refuted the statement, saying what the government delegation said in the statement was baseless and fabricated.
The political talks between the Sudanese government and the rebel groups in the country’s western Darfur region ended here Saturday without any breakthrough, a rebel leader said.
The two rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM), refused direct political negotiations with the government to end a conflict raging in Darfur unless their demands are met.
“It’s over. The Movement has no plan to meet the Sudanese government,” said Ahmed Tugod Lissan of the JEM, adding that they will hold political talks with the government only after the government has fully fulfilled the demands.
“Our demands should be fully fulfilled toward progress,” the leader said. “It’s difficult to conduct political dialogue with the Sudanese government’s failure to disarm Janjaweed militia and try criminals.”
Lissan also called on the international community to interfere in the disarmament of the Janjaweed.
“If the Sudanese government fail to disarm Janjaweed, the international community should, through the United Nations, disarm them,” said Lissan.
The Sudanese government met with the JEM and the SLM in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Saturday morning to deal with the Darfur conflict, which was termed by the United Nations as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
The two rebel groups on Thursday laid down six conditions, with forcing troops withdrawal high on their agenda.
In a list read out by SLM representative Adam Ali Shogan, the ” removal of government troops and Janjaweed militia from Darfur, including those who are integrated into the police or other government offices” was the top priority to be addressed in the meeting.
The other conditions are access for an international inquiry into genocide charges, bringing criminals who committed genocide or ethnic cleansing to justice, creating unimpeded humanitarian access for delivery of food aid, release of prisoners of war and detainees and agreement on a neutral venue for future talks.
However, Sudanese government spokesman Ibrahim Mohammed said Friday that the conditions are “unpractical,” especially disarming of Arab militias, because some militia groups are illegal and underground and the government needs time to address the issue.
The spokesman said that all prisoners of war will be released except those who were accused of committing crimes.
He also the Sudanese government will accept peacekeepers from African countries, who will be deployed in Darfur to provide protection for the AU’s observers and the civilians in that region, where at least 10,000 people have been killed and over one million displaced since the indigenous revolted against the Khartoum government in February 2003.
Ahead of Saturday’s political talks, Lissan threatened to end the talks with the Sudanese government if the six conditions are not met.
“These demands are not only of the people in Darfur but also of the international community. We have no reason of entering political talks if the demands are not accepted,” Lissan added.
The Darfur crisis was the center of attention in last week’s AU summit in Addis Ababa, considered as a test for the AU’s commitment to security and peace, an issue which bugs the impoverished continent for decades.
The AU sent its Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare to Chad in a sit down with the Sudanese sides just before the summit, which booked the talks of Thursday.
After UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s visit to Sudan and neighboring Chad this month, Sudan signed a joint communique vowing to disarm the militias, allow unrestricted aid access in the remote west and speed up peace talks with the rebels.
The government signed a truce with the two rebel groups on April 8, but both sides have since accused each other of violations.
The Addis Ababa negotiations were chaired by the AU, the United Nations and Chad, with the United States and the European Union attending as observers.