Darfur rebels talk peace
2005-05-10 10:38
Tripoli, Libya - Two main rebel groups in Sudan's conflict ridden western Darfur region, on Monday declared their commitment to a cease-fire and to unconditionally resuming talks with the Sudanese government.
A cease-fire between the rebels and the government - and militia allied to it - has been largely ignored in past months, with violence continuing in the large area of western Sudan, where the UN estimates 180&nbs;000 people have died since February 2003, mainly from war-induced hunger and disease.
There was no immediate comment from the Sudanese government, but the rebels' statement could boost efforts to resume peace talks. The two sides committed to talks on January 31, but repeated statements since about resumption have failed to materialize.
Talks to reduce conflict
Officials from the two rebel groups made the announcement after talks with Libyan officials trying to mediate in the conflict.
"We announce in front of Colonel Gadhafi that we are completely committed to a cease-fire," Khalil Ibrahim, senior official of the Justice and Equality Movement, said to a round of applause from a gathering of about 200 political, tribal and military personalities attended by Libyan leader Moammar Gahdafi.
"And we declare that we agree to resume negotiations ... without any preconditions," he added.
Representatives from the two groups — Sudan Liberation Movement and Justice and Equality Movement — said they would discuss any demands they had during the talks and not have them as conditions for the talks.
"After the cease-fire, our goal is to establish stability and to start reconstruction," said Othman Mohammed al-Bakr, an official of the Sudan Liberation Movement, the political wing of the Sudan Liberation Army.
Darfur has been torn by conflict since early 2003, when rebels of ethnic African tribes took up arms, complaining of discrimination by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum. A pro-government Arab militia launched a counterinsurgency, attacking ethnic African villages and committing atrocities.
- AP