US rejects Sudan charge that genocide determination ‘poisoned’ Darfur talks
WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (AFP) — The United States flatly rejected Sudanese accusations that its determination last week that “genocide” is occurring in Darfur had poisoned nascent African Union-hosted peace talks between Khartoum and two rebel groups.
The State Department said Washington’s genocide finding was a statement of the “reality” on the ground in the strife-torn region in western Sudan where pro-Khartoum Muslim militias have been blamed for conducting a massive ethnic cleansing campaign against black Africans.
“Any suggestion that somehow the United States’ determination of genocide was detrimental or had a negative impact to the talks we would reject outright,” deputy spokesman Adam Ereli [photo] told reporters.
“What’s important to do is to call it as you see it,” he said, referring to the finding which was announced last week by Secretary of State Colin Powell during congressional testimony. “Those are the facts that we were able to determine, and that was the only conclusion you can come to on the basis of that.
“It’s up to the parties and the international community to deal with that reality,” Ereli said. “Clearly long-term peace is possible … only through a political solution between the parties to the conflict.
“That’s what the purpose of these talks is and that’s what’s needed to stop the genocide,” he said.
Ereli spoke shortly after the African Union-sponsored peace talks between the Sudanese government and two rebel groups — the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) — adjourned for a month Friday to give negotiators more time to resolve disagreements on the key issues.
The three-week-old talks have yet to make meaningful progress because of disagreements on the key issues of security and disarmament. On Friday, Khartoum blamed the United States’ genocide determination for encouraging the rebels to take a hard-line stance.
“It is regrettable that while the negotiators were fully engaged in the consideration of the security issue, and while they were making real progress, statements made by senior officials of the USA poisoned the talks environment and sent wrong signals to the rebels who immediately stiffened their positions,” the Sudanese government said in a statement.
War in Darfur broke out in February 2003 when rebels rose up against Khartoum to demand an end to the political and economic marginalisation of their region, peopled mainly by black Africans.
Khartoum’s response was to back an Arab militia group, known as the Janjaweed, and give it a free rein to crack down on the rebels and their backers. In the 19 months since the conflict began, some 50,000 people have been killed, according to UN estimates.