Despite talks on resumption of negotiations, Sudanese rebels refuse cease- fire
Sudan, Politics, 10/2/2002

The rebels in southern Sudan led by John Garang announced they will not accept the cease fire in its war against the Sudanese forces, stressing they keep the right to what they called "replying to the attacks by the ( Sudanese ) regime."

The spokesman for the rebels Yasser Araman said "we are still committed to our offer to reaching a period of calm of no military action during the negotiation operations," claiming that the governmental delegation was the side which left the negotiations and announced alert and "Jihad," and therefore it has to shoulder the consequences of its position morally and politically.

The statements of Araman came at a time when the personal envoy for the Kenyan President and the special envoy of IGAD's general secretariat still continue their efforts in Khartoum to resume the peace negotiations in the south, suspended as from the time when the rebels controlled Tourit city. The Envoy met with the Sudanese officials for the return back of the negotiating delegations to Mashakos.

The Sudanese government had stressed it will not resume the negotiations with the rebels before they put an end to the fighting they launch against the government forces, and called on them to stop attacks against the civilians and cautiously welcomed the offer given by the rebels to resume the negotiations.

Ismael explained that that the current war and the progress achieved in Mashakos created an international interests in Sudan and international pressures to halt the fighting.

Ismael said that the rebels control on the strategic city of Tourit by the beginning of September will not obstruct the resumption of negotiations between the two sides.

The Sudanese government withdrew from the negotiations with the rebels on September 2nd when the rebels controlled the city following successful negotiations in Mashakos that were aiming at reaching a final formula for the preliminary agreement which was concluded on July 30 to put an end for the civil war continued since 1983 and resulted in killing 2 million Sudanese.

Previous Stories:
  Khartoum expects negotiations resumption with the rebels   (10/1/2002)
  Garang ready for temporary truce after resumption of negotiation   (9/28/2002)
  US calls for resuming negotiations between Sudan and the rebels   (9/28/2002)

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