The Sudanese government and two rebel movements in the countryâs western Darfur region have agreed to a 45-day ceasefire to allow humanitarian assistance to reach several hundred thousand people affected by the fighting.
| Killed enough of them, have they? |
The ceasefire is due to come into force on Sunday. It was agreed on Thursday night after two days of talks in Nâdjamena, the capital of neighbouring Chad. The ceasefire was signed in the presence of Chadian President Idriss Deby and was immediately welcomed by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. He had warned only a day earlier that international intervention might be necessary if the two sides could not settle their differences.
| "Yeah! Youse guys are really gonna get it if you don't knock it off! Don't make me come over there!" |
A spokesman for Annan said in New York: âHe trusts this agreement will result in an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to attacks against civilians, as well as full humanitarian access to all people in need of assistance and protection.â The ceasefire agreement represents a breakthrough for Chadian government mediators who spent a week trying to persuade the Sudanese government delegation and representatives of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to meet face-to-face.
| "No! I don't wanna look at 'im!" |
The delegations finally agreed to sit down together on Tuesday night after the Chadian mediators proposed discussing humanitarian issues before moving on to the political agenda.
| "Okay, I'll talk to 'im. But I ain't gonna look!" |
Rapid progress then followed. The ceasefire agreement was signed after just two days of intensive negotiations. |