BNW

 

Biafra Nigeria World News & Archives

 

BNW News and Archives

 

 

BNW: the Authority on BiafraNigeria

BNW Magazine 

Biafra Nigeria World Forums and Message Board

 BNW News Archive

BNW Home

 

BNW Writer's Block

 WaZoBia @ BNW

Biafra Net

 Igbo Net

Africa World and BNW Africa 

Submit Article for Publication

BiafraNigeria Spacer

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

Flag of Biafra Nigeria

 

BNW News Archives

BNW News Archive 2002-January 2005

BNW News Archive 2005

BNW News Archive 2005 and Later

 

BiafraNigeriaWorld News: Weblogs Edition @ Blog Continent


« Extra troops for Nigerian state | Main | Ojukwu hosts political leaders »

November 29, 2005

Darfur rebels 'united' for talks

Rival leaders of the largest rebel group in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region say they will present a united front at peace talks due to resume in Nigeria.

The splits in the SLM are blamed for the failure of previous talks and an upsurge in recent fighting.

"Our people on the ground need us to remain united," said Abdel Wahid Mohamed el-Nur, one of the men claiming to lead the SLM.

Some two million people have fled their homes in Darfur.

Earlier this month, a top US diplomat told the SLM rebels to end their differences or risking losing support.

'Final round'

Mr Wahid's rival in the SLM, Minni Minnawi, also said they would present a joint position at the talks with the Sudan government in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

"We are going to enter the talks with one delegation... I came here because I hope this should be the final round," he told Reuters news agency.

Mr Minnawi claims to have replaced Mr Wahid as SLM leader but Mr Wahid's supporters say a vote won by Mr Minnawi was invalid.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Sudan says Mr Wahid's has lost some support after he spent most of the last two years outside Darfur.

Mr Minnawi by contrast is a military man and has much greater support among commanders on the ground.

After meeting both factions in Kenya earlier this month, US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said.

"My concluding point with the SLM was that we want to help them but to help them they need to help us be able to deal with the united movement."

The rebel splits have coincided with an upsurge in violence in Darfur with repeated ceasefire violations and the killing of African Union peacekeepers in the region.

The SLM took up arms in February 2003, accusing the Arab-dominated government of discriminating against Darfur's black African population.

The pro-government Janjaweed militia then swept through the region, killing and raping civilians in what some say equates to a genocide.

The Sudan government denies claims that it arms the Janjaweed.


Posted by Publisher at November 29, 2005 02:39 PM

Comments

Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


Remember me?





BNW Writers A-M


BNW Writers N-Z

 

BiafraNigeria Banner

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BNW Forums

 

The Voice of a New Generation