Sudan again denies self-rule for regions, as Darfur violence continues

KHARTOUM, Sept 30 (AFP) — The Sudanese government has again denied it will grant autonomy to any state in northern Sudan, while criticizing the chief of the UN refugee agency chief for calling for autonomy in the war-torn Darfur region, a press report said Thursday.

Meanwhile, government troops repulsed a rebel attack in South Darfur state after killing three rebels and seizing numerous weapons, the police said.

Agriculture Minister Majzub al-Khalifa Ahmed [photo], who is political secretary of the ruling National CongressParty, was quoted by independent Akhbar Al-Youm daily as saying the government had no plan to grant self-rule to Darfur and “does not speak at the moment about autonomy to any region in the north.”

The government previously rejected a proposal to give autonomy to the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan and southern Blue Nile states, saying existing agreements give the two territories “greater jurisdiction with regards to disposing of financial resources and to development arrangements.”

“These jurisdictions can now be enjoyed by all states of the Sudan,” said Ahmed.

Ahmed, who is also the government’s chief delegate in the Abuja negotiations with Darfur rebels, hit out hard at UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers, branding him as “unqualified for handling political issues.”

He said Lubbers “has overstepped his limits in the Sudan”, explaining that UNHCR is limited to meeting the needs of Sudanese refugees in Chad and to their voluntary repatriation “rather than talking about domestic political issues.”

Ahmed said a recent statement by foreign minister Mustafa Ismail was “misinterpreted” to appear as a government intention of granting self-rule to Darfur and other states. Instead, Ismail was talking about “strengthening the federal rule.”

He did not explain what he meant.

Meanwhile, in what was alleged as another violation of the April 8 ceasefire agreement, a Darfur rebel force attacked Menwachi village in South Darfur on Monday, the police said.

“Our forces stood up to the attackers and drove them back after killing three of them and seizing numerous weapons of different kinds, while our forces have not sustained any losses,” a statement said.

This makes 167 violations committed by the rebels since the signing of the ceasefire, it said.