Deadline #3 for Sudan talks
2006-05-04 13:53
Abuja - The Sudanese government and rebels from the Darfur region face a third deadline to make peace on Thursday.
The government of Sudan has accepted a peace plan on security, power- and wealth-sharing drafted by African Union (AU) mediators.
But three Darfur rebel factions refuse to sign, objecting to many of the provisions of the proposed deal.
The AU has put back the agreement deadline by 48 hours twice, to allow last-gasp diplomatic efforts now led by United States deputy secretary of state Robert Zoellick.
Rebels took up arms in Darfur in 2003, over what they saw as neglect by the Arab-dominated central government.
Khartoum used militias to crush the rebellion. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people.
A campaign of arson, looting and rape has driven more than two million people into refugee camps in Darfur and Chad.
Zoellick has held several rounds of talks with the Sudanese government delegation in the past two days, to try and obtain a few cherries for the rebels that could persuade them to sign.
On Thursday, a US diplomat said Zoellick's team was preparing to present the result of discussions with the Sudanese government to the rebels.
Unclear whether rebels will sign
Another member of the US delegation said the day ahead would be unpredictable.
The thrust of the US proposal was that Khartoum should accept a detailed plan for rebel fighters to integrate the Sudanese armed forces, a key rebel demand.
In exchange, a part of the draft deal that says Khartoum must disarm its proxy militias before the rebels lay down their weapons would be amended to better suit the government.
On Thursday, it was not clear whether the rebels could be persuaded to sign.
However, a diplomat closely involved in the talks, said there were small signs of progress on the rebel side: "The initial shock on finding that some of the things most dear to their heart were not in the document is now fading, and it's starting to sink in that there is quite a lot for them in the text."
'The situation is alarming'
Peace talks have dragged on for two years in the Nigerian capital Abuja, while violence has escalated in Darfur - to the point where aid workers cannot reach tens of thousands of people.
United Nations high commissioner for human rights Louise Arbour, said the security and human rights situation in Darfur was deteriorating.
Arbour said: "The situation is poor, bad and very alarming.
"I am absolutely persuaded that the sexual violence against women is worsening every day."
The AU's top two officials - organisation head and Congo president, Denis Sassou Nguesso, and commission head Alpha Oumar Konare - are to join the diplomatic effort in Abuja on.
They said they had extra leverage - Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir wants to be the AU head next year. Bashir lost out to Sassou this year because of the Darfur conflict.