Sudanese government stops attacks in Darfur; rebels doubt
Sudan, Politics, 12/20/2004

The Sudanese government has announced cling to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire with the rebels in Darfur and asked the African union and the UN to try and get a similar commitment from the rebels.

Following an emergency meeting with western diplomats and officials from the UN and the African Union, the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael said that his government is also ready to withdraw its forces before signing the cease-fire agreement with the rebels on April 8, under the condition the two rebel movements will have the same commitment.

But Ismael was careful to stress that "talks are not about withdrawal now, rather immediate stop of fighting operations in order to prepare the atmosphere for the participants in the peace talks in Abuja to decide the next step." The Sudanese government justified its earlier non-abidance by the cease-fire in Darfur that it was exposed to attacks by rebels and necessitated reaction.

However, the step taken by the Sudanese government was doubted by the two rebel movement. The spokesman for al-Adel Wal-Musawat, Hussein Adam, said the government's statements are not in compliance with its actions. He added "if they are serious they would have stopped the attack." Leader of the Sudan's liberation army -- the second main rebel group -- stressed "he will not go to Abuja unless the government forces withdraw as soon as possible from all areas it had seized during the ten past days."

For his part, the Sudanese minister of state for foreign affairs accused from Abuja each of the two rebel movements of not being serious in the negotiations because their delegations were absent from negotiations which were supervised by the African Union.

Darfur's rebels suspended the peace talks in Nigeria under the pretext of complaining against Khartoum attacks in the district.

Previous Stories:
  Khartoum agreement with one rebel group, prepares for an attack in Darfur   (12/18/2004)
  Amnesty International: African union failed in achieving security in Darfur   (12/17/2004)
  Khartoum agrees to halt military operations in Darfur   (12/16/2004)

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