Darfur rebels boycott talks
2007-10-23 18:13
Juba - A prominent Darfur rebel figure and five other smaller factions will not attend peace talks due to start this weekend in Libya, leaders said on Tuesday, casting doubt on prospects for a settlement.
Ahmed Abdel Shafie told reporters at a Darfur rebel meeting
in south Sudan's capital Juba that African Union and United
Nations mediators had not heeded rebel requests for a delay to
allow them to form a united position and agree on a delegation.
Shafie said: "I was really shocked when people here are talking about unity and the United Nations started distributing invitations.
"It's a matter of sabotaging the process of unity," he said, adding unity talks were going well with more factions joining but more time was needed to complete negotiations.
Insurgents have split
Hopes for a ceasefire look slim without all rebel groups present at the talks which begin in Sirte on Saturday.
Mediators had hoped as many rebels as possible would go to
negotiate a comprehensive ceasefire in Darfur as a first step
towards resolving the conflict.
Since a peace deal signed by only one of three rebel
negotiating factions last year, the insurgents have split into
more than a dozen groups.
Around 70 rebel delegates are in Juba for talks intended to
produce a unified delegation.
International experts estimate 200 000 have died and 2.5
million have been driven from their homes, but Khartoum puts the death toll at 9 000.