Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir has opposed calls by United Nations (UN) personnel to grant autonomy to the war-torn Darfur region.
“I will strongly oppose any idea by outsiders at implementing the self-rule model in Darfur,” al-Bashir warned in a meeting organised by the Sudanese Women General Union on Sunday.
Al-Bashir’s remarks came after the UN High Commissioner for Refugees chief, Ruud Lubbers, urged authorities in Khartoum to offer Darfur autonomy in order to defuse the current stand-off.
The president said he was committed to the agreements his government signed with the armed opposition groups to bring about a political settlement in Sudan, referring to the Darfur ceasefire agreement signed with the two Darfur rebel movements and the agreements with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army.
Al-Bashir said the issue of war in Darfur would be resolved through community and tribal dialogue and negotiation.
The war in Sudan has been called the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world at present, with the UN saying tens of thousands have been killed in the fighting that started in February 2003, and at least 1.3Â million people displaced. – Sapa
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