Second Darfur rebel group agrees to ceasefire, peace talks (Roundup)

Mar 19, 2010, 20:04 GMT

Doha - Darfur's rebel Liberation and Justice Movement on Thursday agreed to a ceasefire and to begin substantive peace talks with the government, broadcaster al-Jazeera reported.

The framework peace agreement signed in Qatar follows a similar deal with a separate Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). It comes ahead of national elections scheduled for next month.

The Liberation and Justice Movement is an alliance of smaller rebel groups.

Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha hailed Thursday's deal - signed in Doha by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's adviser, Ghazi Salah al-Din, and rebel leader Al-Tijani al-Sissi - as an 'important step' toward 'peace in Darfur.'

Taha said the government remained 'committed' to peace talks, and called for 'all parties' to join the government in 'serious and sincere talks on all the details to reach a final agreement.'

In Washington, US State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid also welcomed the deal as 'a very important step that ... broadens the ceasefires to numerous parties throughout Darfur.'

The deal came as concern mounted over the peace talks outlined in last month's framework agreement between the government and the JEM.

According to that agreement, peace talks were supposed to finish by Monday. But after the deadline passed without an accord, Sudanese security forces on Wednesday again arrested 15 JEM rebels who had been released from custody after the ceasefire.

Al-Bashir has spoken of his desire for peace in the western Sudanese province of Darfur before April's presidential, legislative and local elections.

'A ceasefire throughout Darfur is essential so that elections can move forward peacefully in that region. It is also an important step towards making the Darfur peace process more inclusive and comprehensive,' Duguid said.

The United Nations estimates that as many as 300,000 people have died since rebels in Darfur first began their campaign against the central government in 2003, and that another 2.7 million have been left homeless. According to the Sudanese government, only 10,000 have died.

Al-Bashir faces an international arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court at The Hague on charges that he presided over 'crimes against humanity' committed in the government's campaign against the rebels.