The rebels’ move will deepen an already out of control human crisis in Darfur

ADDIS ABABA, July 17 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Dealing a heavy blow to the fragile peacemaking drive in the western Sudanese province of Darfur, the rebels walked out Saturday, July 17, from the African Union-mediated peace talks in the Ethiopian capital, insisting their demands must be met before they would start negotiating with Khartoum.

Special UN envoy Mohamed Sahnoun said the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) had refused to enter into direct negotiations since Thursday, July 15, unless their preconditions were fully met, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"The rebels refused any negotiation, unless their demands are implemented," he told AFP in Addis Ababa, as mediators shuttled between the two sides trying to breath life into the nearly-doomed meeting.

"We have decided to work on the confidence-building process and to issue a statement on this meeting, which is over, but separate consultations will continue throughout the day," Sahnoun added.

The rebellion and clashes in Darfur, which erupted 18 months ago in the west of Africa’s biggest country, created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

"We’ll stay here overnight and then leave (for home)," Ahmed Tugod Lissan, coordinator for the rebel JEM, said after meeting AU mediators in Addis Ababa, reported Reuters.

"By refusing to accept our demands the government in Khartoum is saying that it is not prepared to discuss the disarmament of the Janjaweed who are conducting ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Africans in Sudan," Lissan claimed.

"We are open for any direct political dialogue in future if the government’s commitments are translated into deeds and confirmed by the international community."

Lissan asked the "the international community to intervene to avert the crisis in Darfur, if the Sudanese government fails to fulfill its commitments."

He said they would hold a courtesy meeting with AU Commission chairman Alpha Oumar Konare, the top civil servant of the 53-nation African body, before leaving.

Neither the SLA nor JEM met government delegates since Konare launched the latest bid to restart Darfur’s peace process at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa Thursday.

Six Conditions

Disarmament of the Janjaweed is one of six conditions the JEM and SLA have set for participation in the peace talks aimed at ending the bloodshed.

The other conditions include providing access for an independent international inquiry into alleged genocide charges, prosecuting criminals who committed genocide or ethnic cleansing, allowing unimpeded humanitarian access, freeing prisoners of war and setting a neutral venue for future talks.

Facing US-led pressures over the crisis in Darfur, the Sudanese government said it was prepared to discuss the demands as part of peace talks but not as a prerequisite for those talks.

Khartoum had also pledged to send troops to disarm militiamen in Darfur.

The UN Security Council is debating a US draft resolution imposing sanctions on militias accused of "ethnic cleansing" in Darfur.

Washington also hinted that the sanctions could be extended to the government.

But France has declared it did not support American plans for international sanctions on Sudan if violence continues in Darfur.

The United Nations says fighting has displaced more than one million people, and as many as 30,000 have been killed.

Meanwhile, aid agencies warned Friday, July 16, that the onset of rains had severely hampered efforts to help thousands of displaced people in Darfur and across the border in Chad.

World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned that a major health catastrophe could erupt in Darfur if the necessary funds and supplies were not made available to fight disease and malnutrition.

Darfur is one of the world's hardest-to-reach regions, making humanitarian access extremely difficult.

Kuwait has sent its second aid convoy  to Darfur , including fifteen tones of tents, 40 tones of corn products and 20 tones of wheat, for distribution among the local inhabitants.

This came days after a Kuwaiti Muslim relief group sent aid to the war-torn region to counter blooming proselytizing  activity under the guise of humanitarian relief.

An Egyptian medical convoy was sent  to southern Sudan May 5, becoming the first Arab relief aid to the region in 10 years.

The United States has spent $116 million on humanitarian relief for Sudan over the past year and has an additional $164 million in the pipeline.

The aid delivered thus far has consisted mostly of airlifted food, blankets and plastic sheeting.