ME and Ophelia

KILLING GOES ON AS SUDAN LIES TO THE WORLD AND DEFIES U.N.
Fresh attacks as international community pressurises Khartoum

July 7: The killing still goes on as Sudan lies to world and defies U.N.

Fresh attacks are still happening as the international community pressurises Khartoum. Sudanese government forces and Arab militia have launched a fresh wave of murderous attacks on black African villagers in Darfur in defiance of demands from the UN and the US for an end to the fighting.

Helicopter attacks continue as Sudanese government denies involvement. UN spokeswoman confirms, "Despite a cease-fire signed in April between the Sudanese government and two rebel groups, fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region continues to displace civilians who say they are innocent victims".

Rebel groups have warned that they will retaliate if the Khartoum regime continues to break the cease-fire. [Full Story]
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FRESH SEARCHES OF DARFUR
Find thousands more people dying

July 10: Irish Aid agency Concern confirms it has found thousands more people who have been displaced from their homes in Western Sudan. They were discovered during fresh searches in the region of Darfur.

A spokesperson for Concern said that many of them are dying, and in desperate need of food, shelter and water.
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SLM 'PART OF THE NEW SUDAN'
SLM Chairman at a conference in London last month

June 27 (via Free Sudan): SLM Chairman Mr Abdelwahid Nour at a London seminar hosted by the Sudan Civic Foundation - discussing alternatives to the current regime in Sudan - said "the manifesto of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) states we are part of the "New Sudan". "The one united Sudan where everyone is enjoying citizenship is what the SLM is striving for", Mr Nour said, adding that there has to be a democracy without any scope for totalitarianism and that to preserve the unity of Sudan is the responsibility of all.

The SLM sees that all Sudanese problems must be solved everywhere, solutions must be found he said.
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DARFUR REBELS MAKE DEMANDS
Before attending any more peace talks

Khartoum has agreed to attend AU-mediated Darfur talks in Ethiopia next week, but the rebels say they will not negotiate unless Sudan disarms the militias and respects the truce.

I'm surprised this June 26 Reuters report at http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L26612882.htm has not had more attention. It's about an urgent letter that was sent by the Darfur rebels to Colin Powell and Kofi Annan before they both visited Darfur last week. The rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) made a list of demands which must be met before political talks can begin: a military no-fly zone, free access for aid workers and war crimes trials for Arab militias who have looted and burned throughout the region.
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July 11, 2004: Garang, head of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and its political wing the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, warned Khartoum on Sunday he would not allow a planned interim government to continue what he called the "very serious crime" of state-organised attacks on Darfur's civilians.

Garang is set to become Sudan's first vice-president under a planned accord ending a separate war in the south. He added in an interview that Khartoum was using the same techniques in Darfur that it used for 21 years against his forces in the south. "If we are to form a new government of national unity - and that's what the agreement says - we obviously will not allow that government to fight its own citizens in Darfur," he told Reuters. "There's no way you can make peace for southern Sudan while you also make war in Darfur."

Garang said only sustained international pressure would make Khartoum honour commitments it made this month to end Darfur violence. [Full Story]