Rebels Reject Cease-Fire as Americans Offer Support
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ABUJA, Nigeria – Sudanese rebels rejected a proposal to end the bloodshed in the Darfur region yesterday, throwing into question the outcome of yet another series of negotiations to put a stop to fighting that has left tens of thousands of people dead.
The rebels called for changes to the deal hours before an African Union deadline – and after the Sudanese government indicated it would accept the proposal.
Years of fighting between ethnic groups and Arab militias in western Sudan have left at least 180,000 people dead and about 2 million homeless. Darfur’s violence recently spilled into Chad: Osama bin Laden last week urged his followers to go to Sudan to fight a proposed U.N. presence.
Amid the negotiations, the plight of 3 million refugees in Darfur has worsened. The U.N. World Food Program said Friday that it was cutting rations in half, citing a lack of funds.
Sudan has indicated it might accept a U.N. force in Darfur to aid African Union troops if a peace treaty is signed, and the head of Sudan’s delegation, Magzoub El-Khalif, said yesterday the government is willing to accept a draft resolution circulated last week.
Secretary of State Rice called on China and Russia to join America in pushing Sudan to accept U.N. forces.
The Sudanese government had said it was ready to sign the agreement. But a spokesman for one of Sudan’s rebel factions said the proposal does not ad equately address their key demands for a vice president from Darfur and more autonomy. A spokesman for the Justice and Equality Movement, Hahmed Hussein, said he was speaking for both rebel factions.
Sudan announced its readiness to sign earlier yesterday – after it became clear the rebels were not ready to reciprocate.
A draft agreement circulated last week called for a cease-fire. But both sides have agreed to a truce before, only to keep fighting.
Mr. Hussein, the rebel spokesman, said the agreement was “imbalanced.” “We are not going to sign it as it is,” he said. The other main rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Movement, had asked for more time.
