NIGERIA-SUDAN: Darfur rivals begin direct talks

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Displaced women move camp

ABUJA, 4 Oct 2005 (IRIN) - After two weeks of peace talks and
amid signs that world patience is running thin, rival parties
in Sudan's Darfur conflict finally entered face-to-face
negotiations this week on the key issues that need to be
resolved before reaching a deal.

African Union (AU) chief mediator Salim Ahmed Salim brought
delegates representing the Sudan government and Darfur's two
main rebel groups together on Monday, saying continued
violations of truce agreements in Sudan's western Darfur
region were unacceptable at a time when peace seemed within
reach.

"We cannot understand the rampant acts of banditry in Darfur,
the killing of innocent civilians in Darfur, when the major
protagonists are all here in Abuja," Salim said.

"Since we have a framework in Abuja for a negotiated
settlement of the conflict, why should more innocent lives be
lost in such senseless circumstances?" he queried.

The AU at the weekend accused Khartoum of launching attacks
on civilian targets in the past two weeks in coordination
with the pro-government Janjawid militia. The main rebel
Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) was also blamed for two
separate attacks in violation of existing agreements.

The AU's Peace and Security Council on Tuesday called for an
emergency meeting, expected to take place on Wednesday, to
address the worsening security situation in Darfur.

And in Abuja, where he was visiting for bilateral talks,
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende warned that funding
could fizzle failing a quick accord.

"The international community wants to see results, it cannot
go on spending resources on problems which should already
have been resolved and still can be resolved in the coming
months," said Balkenende.

But at the negotiating table both the government and rebel
delegations have expressed their readiness to work for peace.

Majzoub el-Khalifa, head of the Sudanese government
delegation, said he expected the current sixth round of talks
to be the crucial one to lead to peace.

"We are not satisfied with the delay so far because our
people are suffering," he said.

Representatives for the SLA rebels and the smaller Justice
and Equality Movement both said they too expected fruitful
talks and called for good faith on all sides during the
negotiations.

Key issues being negotiated include how to share power and
economic resources and ensure lasting security in Darfur
between the black African tribes in the region and the Arab-
dominated government in Khartoum.

The Darfur conflict pits Sudanese government troops and Arab
militias against rebels fighting to end what they call the
neglect and oppression of the inhabitants of Darfur, a semi-
desert region the size of France.

Most of the Darfur residents are black Africans who say the
Arab-dominated Khartoum government wants to chase them out of
the country.

The US government has accused Khartoum of genocide.

The United Nations has described the situation in Darfur as
the world's worst humanitarian crisis. It estimates that at
least 2.9 million people continue to be affected by the
conflict of whom 1.85 million have been forced to flee their
homes.

[Nesayem]

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