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| International |
| Sudan's turn in the peace processor... |
| 2002-06-18 |
| The Sudanese government and rebels began a new round of peace talks Monday aimed at ending their 19-year civil war with both sides saying there was a new momentum behind the peace process. "We came here with an open heart ... we came also with an intention to make some progress because we believe this is a defining moment," said Ghazi Salah Eddin Attabani, Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir's peace adviser. "Otherwise those suckers are gonna tear off half the country..." Salva Kiir, a senior official in the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army, said he hoped the talks would rekindle the commitment of both parties to end the conflict. But he warned that the talks should focus on the underlying issues of the war rather than "engaging in political rhetoric and slogans." "Rhetoric ain't buyin' us any groceries here. You can split the swag, or we'll give you a knuckle sammitch!" An estimated 2 million people have been killed during the conflict, mainly through war-induced drought, and another 4 million have been forced to flee their homes. The rebels took up arms against the predominantly Arab and Muslim northern government in an attempt to obtain greater autonomy for the south where most people follow traditional beliefs. Between 5 and 10 percent of southerners are Christians. The rebels, who control most of rural southern Sudan, also want to see a halt to oil production before they agree to a cease-fire. Why? Because they haven't been getting a share of the dough. The government's been using the money to buy guns and ammunition, and the occasional slave. Sudan joined the ranks of oil exporters in 1999, when an international consortium began producing oil. Fighting has raged across southern Sudan in recent months. Last week, the rebels captured Kapoeta, 50 miles north of the Kenyan border and the capital of Eastern Equatoria province. Government forces have been pushing south in areas where lucrative oil fields have been discovered. "This is a War of Ideas. Our idea is, we take the oil fields for ourselves and those northerners can go whistle." The talks are expected to last five weeks and will focus on the sharing of power and Sudan's wealth, human rights and the issue of state and religion, Attabani told reporters. Attabani said the government is willing to negotiate a formula whereby "every single religious group" feels satisfied with the religious freedom they have. The rebels, however, want a clear separation of state and religion in the constitution. That's an idea that's anathema to |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |