Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- “The fact that the talks are taking place is already a good sign” Vittorio Scelzo, a S. Egidio Observer to a meeting between the government of Sudan and the two rebel movements fighting government troops in Darfur told Fides. The talks opened on July 15 in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia and head quarters of the African Union. The African Union is in fact the main sponsor of the talks aimed at bringing peace to the martyred western Sudanese region of Darfur where thousands of people have been killed and at least one million made homeless.
“This is only the start and it is not easy to forecast the outcome” Scelzo told Fides. “The African Union is obviously keen on achieving peace and the international community continues to play an essential role to stop the war ”.
The rebels in Darfur have put forward 6 conditions to continue peace talks: disarmament of pro-government militia responsible for raids on civilians; access to the region of an international commission of justice to investigate reported genocide; those responsible for these crimes must be brought to justice; unlimited access to the region for humanitarian organisations to provide food and health aid to the local people; release of prisoners of war; a neutral site for the peace talks. The rebels in Darfur say and Addis Ababa is not a good site for the peace talks because the Ethiopian government is too near to the Sudanese government. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 16/7/2004 righe 24 parole 264)
