Newly-emerged Darfur rebel groups may enter Abuja talks

KHARTOUM, Oct 25, 2004 (Xinhua) — The Sudanese government said on Monday that two newly-emerged Darfur rebel groups could be allowed to join the current peace talks in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

“Their participation in the Abuja negotiations is to be decided by the African Union (AU),” said Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail in a press statement.

He pointed out his government is collecting information about these two movements, including their sizes, whether they have military existence in Darfur and the reasons behind their appearance at this moment.

“We are searching for answers to all these questions,” added Ismail.

The first group called itself the National Movement for Reformation and Development and the second has not identified itself.

AU and UN officials said Sunday that the recent appearance of the two new rebel groups in Darfur could complicate the international peace efforts in the region.

They noted that the two groups might be behind a series of armed attacks against government’s caravans and aid workers in Darfur.

After years of conflict between Arab nomads and African farmers over scarce resources in Darfur, two rebel groups, namely the Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Army took up arms against Khartoum in February 2003.

According to a UN report, the 20-month Darfur conflict has so far claimed many lives with many more displaced.

Darfur peace talks between the Sudanese government and the two rebel groups resumed in Abuja on Monday after a one-month break.