• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

SUDAN: Rebel group sends first-ever delegation to Khartoum

NAIROBI, 5 December 2003 (IRIN) - The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) has sent a high profile "goodwill delegation" to meet government officials in Khartoum, as peace talks shifted into final gear in the Kenyan town of Naivasha.

SPLM/A spokesman George Garang told IRIN on Friday that a delegation, comprising senior members of the rebel movement, left Kenya on Thursday for Khartoum, for the first time since the rebel movement was launched in 1983.

The delegation would pass through Uganda and Libya and was expected in Khartoum on Friday. It would send a message to the Sudanese people that the current momentum towards peace was "irreversible", Garang said.

"This is a very serious development," he stressed. "We have sent the delegation to tell the people of Sudan that peace is inevitable. Some of us have been away from Sudan for 23 years."

The delegation, led by Senior Commander Bagan Amom and SPLM official spokesman Samson Kwaje, would be received by government officials and would participate in an "elaborate programme" which would also include meetings with civil society groups, trade unions and political parties, Garang said.

The Sudanese government has welcomed the visit. In statement, foreign ministry undersecretary Mutrif Sidiq said the "idea of the visit" was presented by First Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha to SPLM/A leader Johan Garang, who in turn encouraged the visit, the Sudanese news agency SUNA reported.

Cirino Hiteng, a Sudanese political consultant and analyst, said he was optimistic that the visit would give the necessary boost to the peace process at this final stage of the talks.

"I think peace is imminent. It is just a matter of time," Hiteng told IRIN. "We have reached a stage of no return. The parties have to make compromises."

Meanwhile, talks which resumed in Naivasha on Monday, are "on schedule" with both vice president Taha and SPLM/A leader John Garang expected to arrive by Saturday, Garang said.

Two committees have so far been set up to smooth out the remaining difficult issues of power sharing and the administrative status of three disputed areas.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Conflict

[ENDS]

The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All graphics and Images on this site may not be re-produced without the express permission of the original owner. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003