Red Cross in talks with Sudanese govt, SPLM over release of POWs

KHARTOUM, Jan 15, 2005 (Al-Ayyam) — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced that it is conducting serious talks with the government and the Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) to know the actual list of POW in order to make the necessary arrangements to release them.

The deputy director of the ICRC, Jurg Montani, has confirmed to Sudan News Agency that the organization has recently paid a visit to 750 prisoners who are in the hands of the SPLM/A, whereas it has not yet had any opportunity to visit prisoners who are in the hands of the government.

He further said that the government, through its foreign minister, Dr Mustafa Uthman Isma’il, has informed the ICRC that it was committed to release all the prisoners in its custody.

He further explained that the ICRC’s role is to coordinate and facilitate between the two sides and work as a neutral mediator to make them take the responsibility of releasing the prisoners in their hands.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.