No end to Sudan conflict
2004-12-14 10:06
Khartoum - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir is seeking to extend a state of emergency for another year because of the conflict in Darfur and security problems in other areas of the country, the state-run Suna news agency reported on Tuesday.
Beshir has gone to the national assembly to secure a renewal of the emergency laws, which are due to expire on December 31, as well as a six-month extension of parliament's term, the agency said.
The assembly is due to debate the proposals on Sunday.
Talks aimed at ending the conflict in southern Sudan are due to resume in Kenya on Tuesday, facing an end-of-year deadline to sign a peace accord ending Africa's longest civil war.
At least 1.5 million people have been killed and over four million others displaced by the war, which erupted in 1983 when the mainly Christian and animist south took up arms to end domination by the Arabised Muslim north.
But Darfur rebel leaders on Monday pulled out of peace talks in Nigeria aimed at ending the 22-month conflict in the western Sudanese region.