Commission: Sudan govt, rebels continue to violate ceasefire in Darfur

By ABAKAR SALEH, Associated Press Writer

N’DJAMENA, Chad, Oct 5, 2004 (AP) — Sudanese government troops and rebels in Sudan’s western Darfur region have continued to violate a cease-fire meant to allow aid workers access to thousands of African farmers fleeing attacks by pro-government Arab militiamen, an international commission said.

Observers monitoring the cease-fire reported violations by government troops and fighters from two rebel groups involved in the 19-month conflict that has killed an estimated 50,000 people and forced 1.4 million to flee their homes, Gen. Festus Okwonko, head of the commission monitoring the deal, said late Monday.

He spoke after the commission met to evaluate implementation of the deal signed in April by the warring sides. The commission includes representatives from the European Union, the United States, the African Union, the United Nations and the governments of Sudan and Chad.

It condemned the warring sides despite objections from rebel representatives who said no official statement should be released from the meeting. The rebel leaders argued against releasing a report because cease-fire has never taken hold since it was signed in April.

Sudan’s Arab-dominated government is accused of mobilizing an Arab militia known as the Janjaweed for attacks on Darfur’s non-Arab villagers in retaliation for uprisings launched by two non-Arab rebel movements in 2003. The two communities have long competed for scarce resources.

“This is a situation that the commission deplores,” said El-Ghassim Wane, an African Union representative on the commission. “And the government should guarantee the security of the population in this region.”