Sudanese official unperturbed by UN deadline on Darfur

ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug 26, 2004 (PANA) — As negotiations between the Sudanese
government and rebels entered the second day here Thursday, a
government official said Khartoum was in no way bothered by
looming sanctions as a UN deadline for concrete remedial action
in Darfur closed in.

“The UN deadline is not an issue. It never crossed our mind. We
are working towards our duty to our people,” Agriculture minister
and head of the 19-strong government delegation, Majzoob
Alkhalifa [photo] told PANA.

Last month, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding
that the Sudanese government rein in the Janjaweed Arab militias
blamed for the atrocities in Darfur, where some 30,000 people
have been killed a more than a million more displaced in 19
months of fighting between government and rebel forces.

Close to 200,000 Darfurians have also fled to neighbouring Chad
for refuge.

The resolution threatened unspecified sanctions by the end of
August should Khartoum fail to act.

“We are a dignified people, not like other people,” Alkhalifa
said upon arrival here for the talks at the International
Conference Centre in Abuja.

“We will never compromise our national interest to any other. The
deadline will pass. We’re going to continue negotiations, maybe
for days or a month,” he said.

The Sudanese government has nonetheless promised to meet the UN
deadline, after initially expressing reservation about it.

AU chairman President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, who is
hosting the current round of talks did not give a categorical
answer when asked last Tuesday whether he could make a
representation to the UN to ease the pressure on Khartoum in view
of the negotiations in Abuja.

“We will see how things go here,” he said.

The negotiations formally kicked off on Wednesday after the two
rebel groups – Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan
Liberation Army (SLA) – stood down their objection to an item on
the four-point agenda concerning the disarmament of rebel forces.

The agenda, which includes humanitarian, security, political as
well as economic and social issues was adopted unanimously a day
after the ceremonial opening of the talks last Monday.

Hours later, the rebels threatened to walk out unless the issue
of their disarmament was taken off the agenda.

AU and Nigerian government officials quickly stepped in to save
the talks Wednesday.

Meanwhile, President Obasanjo’s Special Envoy to Darfur,
Abdulsalami Abubakar has expressed satisfaction with the progress
of the talks.

“Of course, we are making progress and that is why we are here,”
said the former Nigerian military leader, as he joined the
parties Thursday.