Britain supports autonomy for Sudan’s troubled Darfur
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 21, 2004 (PANA) — The British government Friday said that granting the western Sudan region of Darfur a limited autonomy modelled alongside the peace protocols signed between Khartoum and the Southern Sudan rebels could be the best way to end months
of bloody fighting in the troubled region.
British Secretary for African Affairs Chris Mullin said here
Friday that the devolution of power from the central Khartoum-based government “was the best way to go” in seeking a lasting solution to the 19-month fighting in the region.
“The results of the Naivasha (Kenya) talks which are soon
expected to lead to a lasting peace agreement could provide a
module for what can be achieved for Darfur,” Mullin told
journalists in Nairobi.
Khartoum and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement(SPLA/M) have signed six protocols touching on various aspects of political power-sharing, wealth-sharing, security arrangements and are currently negotiating a permanent cease-fire accord.
The Southern Sudan region will enjoy self-governance and is free to share oil wealth with the government, while it receives funding for its national armies, which will be integrated in the national force once the final peace accord is signed, which also
gives the south a free will to secede after a six-year
transitional period if the people so desires.
Sudanese politicians claim the outbreak of fighting in Darfur coincided with the expected signing of the permanent peace accord between Khartoum and the SPLA/M.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Angelo Beada hinted here in
September that the gains in the southern Sudan peace talks, which meant semi-autonomy for the vast southern Sudan region, could have caused the rebel uprising in the western region.
Khartoum, which is accused to backing Arabs known as the
Janjaweed militias to rape and kill black civilians, claimed on Wednesday that it had jailed Mohamed Barbary Ahab el-Nabi, the leader of the Janjaweed for three years for committing atrocities committed in Darfur.
But Britain, alongside other European states keenly monitoring the situation in the politically troubled region, say the government has done very little to stop the killings.
“Some sort of devolved government is probably the best way to go in the Darfur crisis. I have held talks with several Sudanese government officials and leaders in the country and they seem to support the limited autonomy,” Mullin said.