Rebels reject Darfur deal, Sudan breaks apart

[Al-khiyal]

Mediators have given warring parties in Sudan's Darfur region an extra 48 hours to reach a peace deal after two rebel groups said they would refuse to sign a proposed agreement in its current form.

The last-minute extension by African Union mediators came after after an initial deadline to reach a deal expired at midnight, throwing into doubt two years of talks to end fighting which left tens of thousands dead.

The decision to extend the deadline followed a request from the US, which said the extra time would allow for agreement on two critical security issues.

The parties will be given more time to discuss the disarmament of the government-backed Janjaweed militia, who are accused of rape, murder and looting, and the integration of rebel forces into the army.

"We are not going to accept this document for signature unless there are fundamental changes made to the document," Ahmed Tugod, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) chief negotiator, said.

The government of Sudan said earlier it was ready to sign the plan drafted by the AU mediators, but one of the factions of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) said it would not sign the proposed agreement unless its demands were met in full.

"If the proposal does not include all our demands we will not sign," Seif Haroun, spokesman for the SLA faction led by Minni Arcua Minnawi, told reporters.

It was not immediately known what the position of the other SLA faction - a third rebel group involved in the fighting - was on the 85-page draft peace settlement......

Rebels reject Darfur deal

[lePharon]

That would suffice I guess for Bush to send in 20-25 K troops hopefully immediately, and move those in Iraq thereafter. Khartoom regime needs help to return home --> Yemen - So that Black Hawk down II episode can start finally !

[Al-khiyal]

Horror continues in Sudan's Darfur

[Al-khiyal]

Abuja - The latest Darfur peace proposal meets key rebel demands and could open the way to a deal.

On Thursday, a rebel negotiator said the deal called for thousands of rebels to be integrated into Sudanese security forces - a key rebel demand.

The talks in the Nigerian capital are aimed at resolving a crisis in Darfur, Sudan, that has claimed at least 180 000 lives and forced more than two million people to flee their homes.

The rebel negotiator said the latest draft called for a minimum of 4 000 rebels to be integrated into Sudan's armed forces and another 1 000 into the country's police force.

Under the peace deal, 3 000 rebels would be given training and education to prepare for civilian life.

The negotiator said the concessions from the Sudanese government - agreed to with American diplomats on Thursday - made agreement possible, although the rebels remained concerned about security arrangements.

Rebels 'pleased' with new deal

[Sisyphean]

Who are these so called "Arab militias" anyway?

[Al-khiyal]

The biggest of three rebel factions from Sudan's Darfur region accepted a peace deal with the government on Friday but two other factions rejected it, casting doubt on how workable the agreement would be.

A faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) led by Minni Arcua Minnawi said it would sign a peace settlement drafted by African Union (AU) mediators after two years of talks.

"I accept the document with some reservations concerning the power sharing," Minnawi told Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and a host of senior diplomats meeting at Obasanjo's Abuja compound.

Earlier a rival faction of the SLA and the smaller Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rejected the deal citing a wide range of objections......

Biggest Darfur rebel faction agrees peace deal

[Al-khiyal]

ABUJA, Nigeria - Two of three rebel groups battling the Sudanese government for control of the country's Darfur region resisted intense international pressure on Friday to sign an accord aimed at ending a conflict that has claimed at least 180,000 lives.

In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged all countries to press the warring parties to reach agreement but warned the international community has an obligation to protect civilians in Darfur, by force if need be.....

Darfur region peace plan in jeopardy