Gulf of differences between government, rebels remains wide: official

By Hussein Hassan Ibrahim

KHARTOUM, Sep 5, 2004 (KUNA) — Representatives of the Sudanese government and rebel groups of the western Sudanese region of Darfur, involved in ongoing marathon conciliation talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja, have voiced reservations on a draft agreement to tackle the security conditions in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim, the official spokesman of the government delegation, currently present at the venue of the reconciliation negotiations in Abuja, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) by telephone today that the government representatives would inform the chairmanship of the conference about their final stance on the draft paper of a security protocol.

He indicated that the government was critical of some contents of the proposed accord, where it sensed equality in the treatment of the Sudanese government and the rebels, adding that it also grants substantial jurisdictions to the African Union in transitional administration of some affairs in the region, contrary to a previous accord.

The draft protocol, he said, views the police as part of the government armed forced, adding that the gap remained wide with the other side that has insisted on allowing the rebels to retain their arms.

The two sides, during the talks that started on the 23rd of last month, had reached some accord on issues of humanitarian nature.

Darfur, a populated region in the west of Sudan, has been witnessing bloody infighting since 19 months ago.

Up to 50,000 people have been killed and 1.5 million have been displaced in the fighting, pitting armed rebels and pro-government militias, also known as the janjaweed.

Super powers have urged Khartoum to disarm the militias, accused of causing widespread displacement of civilians, hunger and tragedies.