August 11, 2004
An agreement that requires Sudan to create safe havens in Darfur within 30 days came into effect today after the Sudanese foreign minister and a UN envoy signed it. Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said after the signing ceremony that he was confident his government could implement the plan and restore stability to the western province of Darfur, where pro-government militia called Janjaweed have been blamed for displacing about a million people. However, UN spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters in New York yesterday that UN officials on the ground had reported that "the security situation in Darfur remains tenuous, with more violence directed at, and displacing, civilians in North and South Darfur".
Militia men suspected to be Janjaweed attacked some 35 families in Tawilla, North Darfur on Sunday. Meanwhile, reports continue of attacks by armed men on horses and camels, supported by uniformed men and military vehicles, in South Darfur, Mr Eckhard said.
In Khartoum overnight, Mr Ismail and the UN special representative to Sudan, Jan Pronk, signed cover letters for the "Plan of Action for Darfur". The letters formally referred the plan to Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and their signing constituted the beginning of the implementation of the plan. The plan was agreed last week and approved by Sudan's Cabinet on Monday. The signing ceremony had been scheduled for yesterday, but Mr Ismail only returned to Khartoum today.
The plan gives the government 30 days to set up safe areas in Darfur so that civilians can search for food and water and farm without fear of attack. It requires the cessation of all military operations by government forces, militias, and rebel groups in the safe havens, which are likely to be set up around camps where thousands of displaced people have taken refuge, as well as near towns and villages that still have large populations. "We are now optimistic that we can go through this phase, depending on cooperation instead of conflict," Mr Ismail told reporters today. "The implementation will take place in a transparent fashion."
He said his government will cooperate with the United Nations and regional organisations such as the African Union and the Arab League to implement the plan. The agreement requires the Sudanese government to allow African Union military observers to monitor its performance and to make "an unequivocal declaration of commitment to start the Darfur peace talks as soon as possible" and bring them "to a successful and speedy conclusion". Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has offered to host negotiations between the Sudanese government and the two rebel groups, starting August 23. The government has accepted the invitation but the rebels' response is not known.
President Omar el-Bashir accused the West of conspiring against Sudan to get its hands on the country's resources. Addressing a government meeting of Darfur women in Khartoum today, Mr el-Bashir also said a former governor of north Darfur, whom he named, had collaborated with the rebels.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution July 30 giving Sudan 30 days to curb the Janjaweed militia. The United Nations describes the 18-month conflict in Darfur as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Pro-government Arab militia have waged a counter-insurgency campaign that has seen widespread destruction of villages and displacement of people. Some 30,000 people have been killed since the revolt began, when Sudanese of African origin took up arms against perceived discrimination and neglect by the Khartoum government.
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