Sudan: Expanded African Union troop presence won’t be raised at peace talks
By DANIEL BALINT-KURTI, Associated Press Writer
ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug 28, 2004 (AP) — Sudan’s government said Saturday an African Union proposal to send peacekeepers into the war-ravaged Darfur region won’t be discussed at the latest peace talks with rebels.
The 53-nation AU has raised the possibility of sending up to 2,000 peacekeepers into Darfur, where more than 30,000 people have died in a 18 months of violence that have forced over one million Sudanese from their homes.
The Sudanese government has agreed to allow 300 AU troops in the Iraq-sized province on a mission to protect a team of observers monitoring a cease-fire, but it has resisted pressure to accept a larger force with a peacekeeping mandate.
Sudanese Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs Mohammed Yusuf made clear Saturday his country had no intention of discussing such a proposal at peace talks with rebels, even though the agenda included an ambiguous call for discussion of “strengthening of the AU peace support mission in Darfur.”
Yusuf told The Associated Press that the AU proposal was “not an issue which could be discussed” at the talks, saying the proposal was a “bilateral issue, which should be discussed with the government of Sudan.”
There are currently 80 AU observers in the region monitoring a rarely observed April cease fire.
About 150 Rwandan soldiers are protecting the observers, and another 150 Nigerian troops are expected to leave for the region on Monday. The troops are not mandated to impose security in Darfur, where government-allied Arab militia are accused of attacking ethnic African civilians.
Sudanese government delegates earlier said that the planned 300-strong AU protection force could be expanded to help rebel forces return to their barracks but all-but-ruled out a peacekeeping role.
“The number agreed upon is 300,” Yusuf said.
Rebels took up arms against the Khartoum government 18 months ago after long-simmering disagreements over land rights and other issues.
Sudanese rebels said they had little hope for a breakthrough in the peace talks.
“There is no progress whatsoever until now, and no sign that the government is engaging in good faith,” said Ahmed Hussain Adam, spokesman for the Justice and Equality Movement rebel group.