Rebels boycott peace talks
2004-12-14 10:07
Abuja - Sudan's Darfur rebels announced a boycott of peace talks, alleging a government offensive and saying a return to the negotiating table isn't possible until the government promises to cease attacks.
"The government is currently launching an offensive in all regions of Darfur.
We are suspending the talks until the situation improves and there is a clear commitment that the Sudan government will stop the offensive," said Bahar Ibrahim, of the Sudan Liberation Army.
Ibrahim told reporters on Monday that he was speaking for both insurgent groups at the latest round of African Union-sponsored peace talks, held in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
Tens of thousands have died and nearly 2 million have been driven from their home during two years of fighting. The conflict has sparked what the United Nations calls the worst humanitarian crisis anywhere.
AU confident
African Union officials said they were confident talks could continue as planned on Tuesday. Government representatives weren't immediately available for comment.
AU officials earlier said ceasefire violations are on the rise in the western Sudanese region and the fighting was poisoning the fourth round of Darfur peace talks, which got underway officially on Saturday.
Thirteen violations of an earlier ceasefire agreement were confirmed in September and 54 documented between October and mid-December, said Assane Ba, an African Union spokesperson.
"That means the violations are growing," Ba told reporters at the talks in Abuja. "This is poisoning the atmosphere and we can't have meaningful negotiations in this situation."
Earlier, mediators confronted the warring parties with their ceasefire report, but only the government side responded before the meeting adjourned because of a power outage that plunged the hall into darkness, Ba said of the closed-door conference.
Government negotiators acknowledged partaking in skirmishes, saying they were only trying to clear Darfur's roads for humanitarian aid shipments, said Ba.
Representatives from Darfur's two main rebel groups and Sudan's government are attending the talks, which are expected to focus on reviewing past interim agreements, with power- and wealth-sharing and disarmament among the final goals for peace.
Disease and famine have killed 70 000 in Darfur since March, the World Health Organisation says. There is no official reckoning of the overall toll of the war, which was began in February 2003 when two non-Arab African rebel groups took up arms to fight for more power and resources.
The Sudanese government responded by backing an Arab militia known as the Janjaweed, which is now accused of targeting civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson.
Additionally, a promised 3 000-member AU peace deployment for Darfur has so far managed to put only about 800 soldiers and 100 observers in the field. - AP
- SAPA