Samurai Jane
01-31-2005, 06:37 PM
Sudan says U.N. clears gov't of genocide
By DANIEL BALINT-KURTI
Associated Press Writer
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- Sudan said Monday that U.N. investigators concluded that genocide was not committed in the country's western Darfur region during a nearly two-year crisis, and the government and rebels committed to reopening peace talks within weeks.
At U.N. headquarters in New York, diplomats confirmed that the report did not find that Sudan committed genocide, but they said it was very critical of Sudanese government actions. The report was expected to be circulated in New York on Tuesday.
The United States has accused Sudan's government of directing militia fighters who attack civilians in what Washington calls a genocidal campaign in Darfur, where a nearly two-year crisis has left tens of thousands of civilians dead.
U.N. investigators have written a report on the allegations, which Sudan's Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said undermines the U.S. genocide claims.
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"We have a copy of that report and they didn't say that there is a genocide," Osman said on the sidelines of an African Union summit in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
Diplomats at the U.N. headquarters in New York confirmed the report did not find that Sudan had committed genocide, but they said the conclusions were very critical of the Sudanese actions. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity.
But a top negotiator for the rebel Sudanese Liberation Army said Monday: "If genocide means killing systematically people in one area, then there is genocide.
"For us, there is a genocide. Nobody can argue about it," Abakar Mohamed Abu el-Bashar said by telephone from London.
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Meanwhile, the Sudanese government and Darfur insurgents said they will relaunch peace talks in Abuja in February, raising hopes for a negotiated end to the conflict that three earlier peace conferences and a cease-fire agreement have failed to calm.
Sudan's Darfur tumbled into war when rebels took up arms in February 2003.
The most recent Darfur peace conference began Dec. 11 in Abuja, but rebels boycotted meetings with government delegates two days later, alleging a new government offensive. The talks broke down entirely within weeks.
Darfur's smaller insurgent group, the Justice and Equality Movement, said Monday it would attend the talks if AU negotiators it says have treated them unfairly are "serious and objective," said Khalil Ibrahim Mohammed, a top rebel official.
Mohammed also said the insurgents' leadership wanted other intermediaries to join the talks, which have previously been held by the AU.
"We are asking for a new kind of mediator. America and the European Union must come forward," he said by phone from Eritrea.
The government and the SLA both said their negotiators would return to Abuja for further talks. A Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity the conference was scheduled for the third week of February.
On Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the Security Council should continue to consider sanctions against Sudan over violence in Darfur, although council deliberations have stalled due to divisions among members.
"The council itself has considered sanctions and had not been able to move forward because of divisions. I believe that sanctions should still be on the table," Annan said.
Annan, attending the African summit, said he had received the U.N. commission's genocide report and will forward the study to council members "very shortly."
"Serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of human rights have taken place. This cannot be allowed," Annan said.
The United States - one of five permanent Security Council members - has spearheaded an effort to punish those responsible for abuses in Darfur.
Other nations, though, have questioned whether sanctions are the best way to improve the situation for Darfur's people, who have suffered continued attacks in recent days.
One of the most serious violations of the April cease-fire came just last week when, according to AU observers at the scene, the Sudanese air force bombed a Darfur village, killing or wounding nearly 100 people.
Sudanese officials said the reports were unfounded, but European Union foreign ministers condemned the attacks Monday and called on both sides to resume peace talks.
The Darfur conflict began when the rebels took up arms against what they saw as years of state neglect and discrimination against Sudanese of African origin.
The government is accused of responding with a counterinsurgency campaign in which an Arab militia, known as the Janjaweed, committed wide-scale abuses against the African population. An estimated 1.8 million people have been displaced in the conflict.
Hardships including disease and malnutrition are believed to have killed more than 70,000 of Darfur's displaced people, but many more have died in fighting.
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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SUDAN_DARFUR?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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Sorry if this has been posted already.
By DANIEL BALINT-KURTI
Associated Press Writer
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- Sudan said Monday that U.N. investigators concluded that genocide was not committed in the country's western Darfur region during a nearly two-year crisis, and the government and rebels committed to reopening peace talks within weeks.
At U.N. headquarters in New York, diplomats confirmed that the report did not find that Sudan committed genocide, but they said it was very critical of Sudanese government actions. The report was expected to be circulated in New York on Tuesday.
The United States has accused Sudan's government of directing militia fighters who attack civilians in what Washington calls a genocidal campaign in Darfur, where a nearly two-year crisis has left tens of thousands of civilians dead.
U.N. investigators have written a report on the allegations, which Sudan's Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said undermines the U.S. genocide claims.
Advertisement
"We have a copy of that report and they didn't say that there is a genocide," Osman said on the sidelines of an African Union summit in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
Diplomats at the U.N. headquarters in New York confirmed the report did not find that Sudan had committed genocide, but they said the conclusions were very critical of the Sudanese actions. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity.
But a top negotiator for the rebel Sudanese Liberation Army said Monday: "If genocide means killing systematically people in one area, then there is genocide.
"For us, there is a genocide. Nobody can argue about it," Abakar Mohamed Abu el-Bashar said by telephone from London.
Latest News from Sudan
Sudan says U.N. clears gov't of genocide
Sudan: U.N. clears gov't of genocide
Sudan govt, rebels to reopen peace talks
Sudan tribesman says 25 dead in rioting
Former rebel movement opens Sudan office
Meanwhile, the Sudanese government and Darfur insurgents said they will relaunch peace talks in Abuja in February, raising hopes for a negotiated end to the conflict that three earlier peace conferences and a cease-fire agreement have failed to calm.
Sudan's Darfur tumbled into war when rebels took up arms in February 2003.
The most recent Darfur peace conference began Dec. 11 in Abuja, but rebels boycotted meetings with government delegates two days later, alleging a new government offensive. The talks broke down entirely within weeks.
Darfur's smaller insurgent group, the Justice and Equality Movement, said Monday it would attend the talks if AU negotiators it says have treated them unfairly are "serious and objective," said Khalil Ibrahim Mohammed, a top rebel official.
Mohammed also said the insurgents' leadership wanted other intermediaries to join the talks, which have previously been held by the AU.
"We are asking for a new kind of mediator. America and the European Union must come forward," he said by phone from Eritrea.
The government and the SLA both said their negotiators would return to Abuja for further talks. A Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity the conference was scheduled for the third week of February.
On Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the Security Council should continue to consider sanctions against Sudan over violence in Darfur, although council deliberations have stalled due to divisions among members.
"The council itself has considered sanctions and had not been able to move forward because of divisions. I believe that sanctions should still be on the table," Annan said.
Annan, attending the African summit, said he had received the U.N. commission's genocide report and will forward the study to council members "very shortly."
"Serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of human rights have taken place. This cannot be allowed," Annan said.
The United States - one of five permanent Security Council members - has spearheaded an effort to punish those responsible for abuses in Darfur.
Other nations, though, have questioned whether sanctions are the best way to improve the situation for Darfur's people, who have suffered continued attacks in recent days.
One of the most serious violations of the April cease-fire came just last week when, according to AU observers at the scene, the Sudanese air force bombed a Darfur village, killing or wounding nearly 100 people.
Sudanese officials said the reports were unfounded, but European Union foreign ministers condemned the attacks Monday and called on both sides to resume peace talks.
The Darfur conflict began when the rebels took up arms against what they saw as years of state neglect and discrimination against Sudanese of African origin.
The government is accused of responding with a counterinsurgency campaign in which an Arab militia, known as the Janjaweed, committed wide-scale abuses against the African population. An estimated 1.8 million people have been displaced in the conflict.
Hardships including disease and malnutrition are believed to have killed more than 70,000 of Darfur's displaced people, but many more have died in fighting.
---
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SUDAN_DARFUR?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
__
Sorry if this has been posted already.