Darfur rebels call for resumption of Abuja talks with Sudanese govt
ASMARA, Eritrea, Feb 12, 2005 (ERINA) — In a joint press conference held yesterday in Asmara, the two main Darfur rebel groups affirmed that the suspended talks with the Khartoum regime at Abuja, Nigeria, should resume.
In the press conference, Abdul Wahid Mohammed Ahmed al-Nur, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), and Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), stated that the venue for future talks with the Khartoum regime should be Abuja, Nigeria.
SLM leader Abdul Wahid further reminded that the African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces deployed in Darfur should be given full responsibility. In addition, the SLM leader called on the UN, the EU, and the US, to provide the necessary financial and material support to the AU peacekeeping forces deployed in Darfur so that they can fulfill their mission properly.
Furthermore, Abdul Wahid Mohammed Ahmed al-Nur said that his group views positively the UN report that the criminals who participated in the Darfur genocide should be brought to justice at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and called for its implementation in the shortest time possible.
Justice and Equality Movement leader Khalil on his part rejected the statement by the Sudanese Vice-President, Ali Osman Taha, who said that the International Criminal Court should not hold hearing soon on the Darfur genocide.
Khalil further elaborated that Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Taha is one of those who is charged with participation in the genocide against Darfurians and the reason he opposed the ICC court hearing was because he was afraid that he would be brought to account before the international court.
The Justice and Equality Movement had previously asked the ICC based at the Hague in the Netherlands to hold a court hearing on the Darfur genocide, Khalil further clarified.
Khalil also reminded that the international community should create conducive atmosphere so that the Darfurian victims of genocide could give their testimony to the ICC without duress.