Darfur peace push slowed by splits among rebels

NYALA, Sudan – International mediators pushing for new negotiations on Darfur are being hampered by divisions among Darfur's rebels and by some rebels' hopes that genocide charges will bring down Sudan's president.

The ethnic African rebels, who rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government six years ago, have never been united. But over the past year, factions have multiplied — up to 30 now by U.N. estimates, divided on tribal, political or personal lines.

Some faction leaders are not communicating with their commanders, and the U.N., African and Arab mediators have complained they sometimes don't know whom to talk to.

Now there are fears the conflict could spread beyond Darfur. Sudan's government has sent forces into neighboring South Kordofan province, claiming Darfur rebels are operating there, and the Justice and Equality Movement, the strongest Darfur rebel faction, has announced a military alliance with armed groups in Kordofan.

Meanwhile, the U.N. and African Union's point man on Darfur has spent the past two months meeting with rebel factions in Darfur and abroad. The Persian Gulf state of Qatar is supposed to host a gathering of rebels and Khartoum officials, but Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali Sadiq said Friday that some rebel factions were refusing and no meeting date has been set.

Qatar "does not want to leave any loophole" by not having all rebels involved, Sadiq told The Associated Press. Another meeting for Arab and African mediators scheduled in Qatar on Monday has been indefinitely postponed.



Credits: Associated Press