THE rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has signed an agreement here agreeing to a total ban on anti-personnel landmines throughout territories under its control. The pledge was signed between Nhial Deng Nhial, president of the movement’s foreign affairs commission, in the presence of Geneva canton chancellor Robert Hensler. The southern Sudanese rebel group has promised to ban the use, production, reserve and transfer of anti-personnel landmines, canton officials said. The SPLM has also agreed to cooperate with de-mining and assisting victims. The group will allow observers to monitor its progress. The agreement was concluded under the auspices of “Geneva Appeal”, a human rights group that has been promoting efforts to ban the use of landmines. The canton of Geneva acts as a sponsor of the group and agreements signed under its auspices. According to experts, there are between 500 000 and two million landmines in Sudan, placed by both the government and rebel groups.