Darfur peace talks deadlocked as rebels warn fighting could restart

ABUJA, Nov 5 (AFP) — African Union-lead peace talks on the conflict in the Sudanese region of Darfur ran into trouble again with rebel leaders warning they could relaunch their armed struggle if the government side failed to sign up to a proposed security deal.

Mohamed Tugod Lissan, head of the Sudanese Justice and Equity Movement (JEM) delegation to peace talks regarding the crisis in Darfur, speaks to journalists in Abuja, Nigeria, Thursday Oct. 28, 2004.

“We don’t want to discuss the declaration of principles until we have a clear answer from the government of Sudan on the security issues,” said Mohammed Tugod, leader of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

“Some of our commanders will go back to Darfur today or tomorrow. It is a sign to the government that we are making our troops ready if they refuse peace,” he warned, after African Union (AU) mediators had failed to convince Khartoum to accept a draft security deal.

The government has refused to sign up to an accord which would, among other provisions, commit it to respect a no-fly zone over Darfur designed to protect rebel-held villages from government air strikes and to disarm its proxy militia, the Janjaweed.

Nevertheless, AU mediators believe that they can persuade both parties to accept a broad declaration of political principles which would lay the foundations of negotiations to secure a lasting political settlement.

“The declaration of principles is not designed to be signed, it simply brings together the points of convergence between the two parties in order to give a framework for the upcoming political dialogue,” said AU co-mediator Ahmad Allam-Mi of Chad.

Allam-Mi said that mediators still hoped to hold a ceremony on Saturday for the parties to publicly commit themselves to whatever agreements are reached.

Mediators had drawn up the proposed security deal in order to demilitarize the 20-month-old conflict — which has driven 1.5 million people from their homes and left tens of thousands dead — and say there is little more they can do to persuade the envoys to sign it.

Darfur has been riven with conflict since February last year when two movements launched a rebellion against Khartoum, alleging that the Arab-led government had neglected their region’s largely black African communities.

The rebels have demanded autonomy and a greater share of Sudan’s oil revenue for Darfur, but the two groups are themselves divided over the future political outlook for the region.