Sudan’s southern rebel leader warns govt against delay in final accord
CAIRO, Egypt, Sep 29, 2004 (AP) — The leader of Sudan’s southern rebels on Wednesday warned that delaying a final accord to end the 21-year-old southern rebellion could lead to the disintegration of the country.
John Garang, leader of Sudan’s People Liberation Army, accused the Khartoum government of using the Darfur crisis in western Sudan to delay the conclusion of peace negotiations to end the southern civil war.
“Delaying the negotiations will lead to the disintegration of Sudan, which is not of the interest of any party,” Garang told reporters after a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
The Darfur rebellion in western Sudan is not related to the civil war in the south, a conflict between the government in Khartoum, which is dominated by Muslim Arabs, and mostly African Christian and animist rebels.
Peace talks to end the southern rebellion have reached its final stages. The parties have signed six protocols on how to share power and natural wealth, what to do with their armed forces during a six-year transition period and how to administer three disputed areas in central Sudan. Since June 27, the two parties were trying to set a date for the final peace round.
Last week, Sayed el-Khatib, a Sudanese government negotiator said that the talks will resume on Oct. 7.
Garang, whose group wants self-rule for the south, urged Khartoum to grant Darfur autonomy as a way to end the violence that has claimed 50,000 lives.
Garang said his movement believes that “it is necessary to grant self-rule to various provinces in Sudan, especially Darfur, the south and the east of Sudan.”
The Darfur conflict _ described by the United Nations as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world _ erupted in February 2003 when two non-Arab African rebel groups took up arms against the Arab-dominated government, which is backed by local Arab militiamen.
The U.N. Human Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, has urged Sudan to consider giving Darfur autonomy, calling it the only long-term solution to the conflict. Lubbers’ call during a visit to the region this month has gone further than that of any other international official and angered Sudan’s government.
Garang denied arming Darfur rebels. One of the Darfur rebel groups, the Sudanese Liberation Army, and Garang’s SPLA are members of a Sudanese opposition grouping.