AU discuss progress in Sudan
2005-06-14 12:49
Abuja - African mediators were due on Tuesday to brief partners about progress on talks aimed at ending the civil war in Sudan's western region of Darfur that is fast becoming the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
"The African Union (AU) mediation team will hold consultations with our partners — the United States (UN), European Union (UN), Arab League and other stakeholders like the United States (US), Britain, Germany, Spain, Norway, etc. — on the outcome of discussions we held last night with the parties", said AU spokesperson Nouredine Mezni.
"This is to intimate them with the contributions and views of the parties on the declaration of principle which was distributed to them for their inputs," he said.
He said the consultations with the partners were expected to take place on Tuesday afternoon "so as to also get their contributions".
Talks with government and rebel groups
The AU said in a statement late on Monday it had held separate talks with the government of Sudan (GoS) and representatives of the two rebel groups — the Sudan's Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
It said the discussions centred on the declaration of principle which was adopted during the last round of the peace talks in Abuja last December.
AU special envoy for the peace talks on Darfur Dr Salim Ahmed Salim said "these consultations gave the parties an opportunity to make comments, observations and suggestions on the draft declaration of principle".
"The representatives of JEM and the GoS later submitted their comments in writing. The SLM however requested more time to finalise their submission," it said.
"The bilateral meetings were attended by Nigeria and Libya — the two facilitators at the talks," Mezni said.
Talks under way again
Talks resumed on Friday after they were suspended for six months because the parties accused each other of ceasefire violations.
The talks were designed to end more than two years of civil war that has claimed between 180 000 and 300 000 lives, displaced around 2.4 million people and sent more than 200 000 fleeing to neighbouring Chad.
Violence broke out in Darfur in February 2003 when a rebel uprising against the government led Khartoum to unleash Arab militias known as the Janjaweed on a scorched-earth campaign. The Janjaweed are accused of "ethnic cleansing", torture, rape and intimidation.
Humanitarian officials have warned the situation in Darfur is becoming more desperate, with insufficient funding to meet the crisis aggravated by drought, famine and the long-term effects of conflict.
The AU announced late last month it had received $292m in donations. But it wants more than $460m in cash, military equipment and logistical support to boost the AU force monitoring the Darfur truce from the current 2 700 soldiers — from Nigeria and Rwanda — to more than 7 700 by September.