'Acrimonious' talks continue

2004-07-16 13:37

Addis Ababa - Talks between the Sudan government and representatives of two main rebel groups aimed at a lasting peace deal for the troubled Darfur region continued in the Ethiopian capital on Friday following an opening session on Thursday evening described as "acrimonious".

Conference sources said the three-hour opening session, which was attended by members of the public and press, was marked by different factions trading accusations of ceasefire violations.

At the top of the agenda is the full implementation of the ceasefire deal signed in Chad in April between Khartoum and the two main rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

Both groups hail from the black African population of the Darfur region of western Sudan, an area larger than France for years riven by tensions between the black African and Arab populations.

An escalation in the conflict over recent months has seen up to 30 000 people killed and around 1.2 million forced from their homes by government-backed Arab "Janjaweed" militias. The situation has been described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Both the SLM and the JEM accuse Khartoum of failing to control the Janjaweed, which they say are still engaged in a campaign of intimidation against the civilian population.

Sources at the peace talks said on Friday that the day's closed-door session had begun with all parties outlining their respective stands on the implementation of the April ceasefire deal, and on another disarmament agreement signed in May.

AU Commission chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare and UN special representative Ahmed Sahnoun both stressed that the full implementation of both deals was crucial to forge a comprehensive and lasting peace.

Also in attendance were observers and diplomats from the European Union, the United States, Britain, France, Chad and current AU heads Nigeria.

- SAPA