31 August 1999 An
Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman states that SPLA leader
John Garang had, in fact, in private welcomed the Libyan-Egyptian
peace plan. The Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister Yousef Wali
also reiterates Egypt's support for the unity of Sudan.
"Sudanese Rebel Leader
Supports Peace Plan: Egypt", News Article by Agence
France Presse, 31 August 1999; "Egypt Reiterates Support
for Unity of Sudan", News Article by XINHUA, 31 August
1999
1 September 1999 SPLA
leader John Garang accuses the Sudanese government of showing
no serious interest in ending the war. He insists that the
Libyan-Egyptian peace initiative should be integrated into
the IGAD peace process, claims he knows nothing about the
scheduled talks between the NDA and the Khartoum government
in Cairo on 13 September. He also threatens to attack Sudanese
oil installations.
"Rebel Leader Says
Khartoum Not Serious About Peace", News Article by
Reuters, 1 September 1999
September 1999 The
first shipment of Sudanese oil leaves Port Sudan.
1 September 1999 Following
talks with SPLA leader John Garang Egyptian Foreign Minister
Amr Moussa announces that the 13 September talks scheduled
in Cairo with the NDA and Sudanese government to organise
a peace conference have been postponed to give opposition
groups more time to coordinate.
"Postponement of Meeting
to Organise Sudanese Peace Talks", News Article by
Agence France Presse, 1 September 1999
2 September 1999 Sudanese
Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail emphasised that Sudan
agrees to attend any discussions regarding a preparatory
committee for a peace conference, and the government has
no objection to dealing with any topics. He also states
that the realisation of a national reconciliation would
expand the government's achievements.
"Sudanese-Egyptian
Ties Improving, Sudanese Official", News Article by
XINHUA, 2 September 1999
4 September 1999 Dr
Ghazi Saleheddin Atabani, the Sudanese Culture and Information
Minister, reiterates the government's commitment to peace
initiatives. He says: "We are prepared to participate
in the preparatory meeting of the national dialogue conference
at any time and place requested by the other side."
He also points out that the rebel movement tends to use
media propaganda in order to escape serious talks, and that
the SPLA disagreements with and contradictions of other
opposition groups is explained by the fact that its leader
John Garang is really implementing the agenda of other powers.
"Dr. Salah Eddin Holds
Rebel Movement Responsible for Postponement of Dialogue
Meeting", SUNA News Digest, 4 September 1999; "Sudan
Says Committed to Libyan-Egyptian Initiative", News
Article by Reuters, 5 September 1999
6 September 1999 National
Democratic Alliance Secretary-General Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi
states that at its October meeting the NDA will propose
a date and venue for a national dialogue conference, agree
on principles of dialogue, define an agenda and name its
delegates.
"Sudan Opposition Prepares
for Peace Talks", News Article by Reuters, 6 September
1999
13 September 1999 A
two-day meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo drafts
a resolution calling on "Arab states to support Sudan
against any threat to its stability and security and stressed
the danger of foreign interference".
"Arabs Discuss Iraq
Crisis, Sudan Reconciliation", News Article by Reuters,
13 September 1999
13 September 1999 The
Sudanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bishop Gabriel
Roric Jur, defends Sudan's human rights record - "among
the best in Africa" - and stresses the "drastic
changes and profound transformation in the spheres of social,
economic, political and democratic process". He refutes
various propaganda charges regarding "slavery"
and the use of chemical weapons. And further emphasises
the "Sudanese keenness to resolve the on-going war
in the country through peaceful dialogue among brothers".
He states: "Sudan is always putting [the] peace issue
as first priority in the national policy. The Sudanese Government,
showed good will and created [a] conducive atmosphere for
peaceful dialogue with the opposition groups and declared
a cease-fire. This was done, in anticipation that the other
side would respond positively. Instead the SPLA rejected
the comprehensive cease-fire in the country, and chose to
select certain areas, thus exposing people, mainly the civilians,
to the danger of war effects in the areas of conflicts."
"Sudan at the Threshold
of Prosperity", by Gabriel Rorich Jur, Middle East
Review, 13 September 1999
13 September 1999 SPLA
leader John Garang decides not to come to Egypt on 2 October
as scheduled to participate in the meeting of the National
Democratic Alliance. He contacts both the head of the NDA
and of Democratic Unionist Party to propose delaying the
meeting until the middle of the coming month.
"Garang Calls for Delaying
Sudanese Opposition Meeting in Cairo", News Article
by ArabicNews.com, 13 September 1999
14 September 1999 Osama
El-Baz, political advisor to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak,
states that Egypt wants to maintain the unity of Sudan.
"El-Baz: Sudan is the
Strategic Depth of Egypt", News Article by ArabicNews.com,
14 September 1999
14 September 1999 Egyptian
Foreign Minister Amr Moussa and Sudanese Foreign Minister
Dr Mustafa Osman Ismail meet in Cairo to discuss the next
move to coordinate the Egyptian-Libyan and IGAD peace initiatives.
"Egyptian, Sudanese
Foreign Ministers Meet Again to Coordinate Initiatives",
News Article by ArabicNews.com, 14 September 1999
15 September 1999 Southern
rebel leader Kerubino Bol Kuanyin is killed by SPLA gunmen.
15 September 1999 Leaders
of eleven United States-based humanitarian organisations
working in Sudan urge Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
to focus US policy towards Sudan on the achievement of a
just peace. The organisations include CARE, Oxfam, Lutheran
World Relief, Save the Children, World Vision and the US
Committee for Refugees.
"Humanitarian Organisations
Urge Secretary Albright to Focus US Policy on a Just Peace
in Sudan", CARE USA, http://www.reliefweb.int
18 September 1999 The
Presidency of the European Union issues a statement which
"welcomes the latest round of negotiations between
the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People Liberation
Movement which were held in Addis Ababa from 4 to 7 August
1999 in the framework of IGAD, and the agreement of the
parties to convene a fourth round of negotiations within
six months in Nairobi. The European Union nevertheless notes
with regret that the Government of Sudan and the SPLM were
not able at this stage to reach an agreement on major questions
of contention".
"Sudan: Declaration
on Behalf of European Union", European Community Humanitarian
Office, 18 September 1999, http://www.reliefweb.int
5 October 1999 Egyptian
Foreign Minister Amr Moussa asks the different Sudanese
opposition groups to create an adequate atmosphere for peace
initiatives.
"Moussa Asks Sudanese
Opposition to Support Egyptian Initiative for National Rapport",
News Article by ArabicNews.com, 5 October 1999
6 October 1999 Former
US President Jimmy Carter states: "If the United States
would be reasonably objective in Sudan I think we at the
Carter Centre and the Africans who live in that area could
bring peace in Sudan. But the United States government has
a policy of trying to overthrow the government in Sudan.
So whenever there's a peace initiative, unfortunately our
government puts up whatever obstruction it can."
"CARE Seeks Political
Fix in Sudan", Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
6 October 1999
8 October 1999 Members
of the Sudanese Parliament urged the government to continue
the peace process in spite of a rebel attack on an oil pipeline,
and appealed to opposition groups to return to Sudan. The
Assembly also set up a parliamentary committee under the
chairmanship of the head of parliament to assist peace initiatives.
"Members of the Sudanese
Parliament Demand National Rapport", News Article by
ArabicNews.com, 8 October 1999
9 October 1999 Sudanese
Presidential Advisor for Peace Dr Nafie Ali Nafie, states
that Sudan has agreed to proposals made by Kenyan envoy
Daniel Mboya, for a new round of IGAD peace talks with the
SPLA in Nairobi later in October.
"Government Ready for
Talks With SPLA Late October: Official", News Article
by Agence France Presse, 8 October 1999
9 October 1999 Egypt
expels National Democratic Alliance joint military command
spokesman Abdul Rahman following his admission of responsibility
for bombing the Sudanese oil pipeline. Egypt is a participant
in the Arab anti-terrorist treaty which forbids signatories
to shelter terrorists. Rahman subsequently moves to Asmara
in Eritrea.
"Cairo Makes Khartoum
Happy", The Indian Ocean Newsletter (Paris),
9 October 1999
12 October 1999 Sudan
extends for a further three months its cease-fire due to
expire in three days time. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa
Osman Ismail states: "In order to create a conducive
atmosphere for achieving peace and in response to appeals
by brothers and friends, the government declares an extension
of the comprehensive ceasefire in all military operations
zones for three months as of Friday midnight, October 15."
He also expresses his hope that the SPLA will "respond
to reason and declare, on its part, a similar ceasefire
so that the two sides will be able to take arrangements
for separation of forces and monitoring the ceasefire so
that it will develop from a temporary to a permanent one".
"Khartoum Extends Ceasefire,
Prepares for More Peace Talks", News Article by Agence
France Presse, 12 October 1999
12 October 1999 Sudanese
Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail reiterates Sudan's
keenness to carry out serious dialogue with the American
administration in order to solve the problems hampering
the normalisation of relations and to enhance the role that
the US could play in achieving peace in the Sudan. He also
reveals that a meeting had been held between the America
envoy to Sudan, Harry Johnston and the Sudan Permanent Representative
to the United Nations, for an exchange of views.
"Sudan/US", SUNA
News Digest, 12 October 1999
12 October 1999 Sudanese
Foreign Minister Dr Mustafa Osman Ismail accuses the opposition
of working to abort the Egyptian-Libyan peace initiative
by putting forward reservations and procrastinating in implementing
the articles that ensure its continuation. Whilst the government
was serious to maintain the initiative, he asserted, the
opposition simply intensified its military and media campaigns.
He also calls on the opposition to return to Khartoum, and
pledges all necessary guarantees including the right to
return abroad if it does not reach agreement with the government.
"Sudan/Opposition/Accusation",
SUNA News Digest, 12 October 1999
12 October 1999 Arab
League Assistant Secretary-General for Arab Affairs Ahmad
Bin Hali states that the League strongly backs Sudanese
national reconciliation attempts as well as the national
unity of the country and opposes foreign attempts to undermine
its regional security. He also criticises rebel attacks
on Sudanese pipelines, which could only result in destroying
the national potential and economic gains which would ultimately
benefit all of Sudan's people.
"Arab League for National
Reconciliation in Sudan", News Article by ArabicNews.com,
12 October 1999
12 October 1999 In
a meeting between the Italian Ambassador Lamberto Dini and
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail in Khartoum,
the Ambassador conveys the text of an EU decision to open
"a page of useful and fruitful dialogue with Khartoum".
"European Union is
Open to Useful Dialogue With Sudan", News Article by
ArabicNews.com, 12 October 1999
13 October 1999 Allegations
that the Sudanese government had used chemical weapons in
southern Sudan are repeated by Baroness Cox, President of
Christian Solidarity Worldwide, in the British House of
Lords on 13 October, 1999. Cox specifically claimed that
the after effects were identical to symptoms associated
with poisoning by compounds such as Lewisite.
House of Lords Official Report, 13
October 1999, col. 444
13 October 1999 The
SPLA announces it will extend its cease-fire in the regions
of Bahr al Ghazal, central Upper Nile and western Upper
Nile to facilitate foreign relief efforts. An SPLA spokesman
says, however: "It is not a comprehensive ceasefire
which is part and parcel of the overall political solution
to the war in Sudan...A comprehensive ceasefire, in our
view, will be the result of progress in the peace talks
and not vice-versa."
"Sudan Rebels Extend
Humanitarian Ceasefire", News Article by Reuters, 13
October 1999; "Southern Sudanese Rebels Extend Ceasefire
for Three Months", News Article by Agence France Presse,
13 October 1999
14 October 1999 Kofi
Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations welcomes
the extension of the cease-fire by both the Sudanese government
and the SPLA and "urges the parties to the conflict
to redouble their efforts to secure a comprehensive and
lasting peace, in the context of the forthcoming IGAD discussions".
"Secretary-General
Welcomes Three-Month Extension of Sudan Ceasefire",
UN Secretary-General, 14 October 1999, http://www.reliefnet.int
15 October 1999 The
National Democratic Alliance announces that it will be meeting
in Cairo on Saturday 23 October. Communist Party deputy
leader Tigani al-Tayeb states that the meeting will discuss
"one question only" - its position on the Egyptian-Libyan
invitation to attend a preparatory meeting regarding a peace
conference. He says: "We will discuss Khartoum's response
to the Egyptian-Libyan initiative . and decide whether or
not the time is right to take part in the preparatory meeting."
The meeting will be attended by delegates from the Umma
Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Sudanese Communist
Party and the SPLA. However, a spokesman for the SPLA could
not confirm whether SPLA leader John Garang would attend
the conference himself or send a representative.
"Sudanese Opposition
Leaders to Discuss Initiatives to End Civil War", News
Article by Agence France Presse, 15 October 1999
16 October 1999 Former
Sudanese prime minister and leader of the opposition Umma
Party, Sadiq al-Mahdi, meets in Rome with foreign ministers
from the IGAD partner countries. Hassan Ahmed al-Hassan,
official spokesman for the Umma Party, states that al-Mahdi
had been invited to the meeting to discuss his previous
messages to them on the peace process.
Al-Hassan reveals that these
messages assert that an agreement between the SPLA and the
Sudanese government was only a partial step to a full resolution
of the Sudanese problem. He says: "Any dialogue must
include all the dispute's parties and expand the range of
IGAD in its content and form to include, besides Egypt and
Libya, other African and Arab states."
"El-Mahdi Asserts Necessity
of Coordination Between Egyptian-Libyan and IGAD Initiatives",
News Article by ArabicNews.com; Umma Party Letter to IPF
at http://umma.org/up_letter_to_ipf.htm,
17 October 1999 Libyan
leader Colonel Kadhafi, in a letter to Sudanese President
Omer al-Bashir, calls on the Sudanese government to step
up its efforts in the peace process. Sudanese Foreign Minister
Mustafa Osman Ismail also announces that he plans to travel
to Cairo in the near future for talks on the peace initiative
with Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa.
"Libyan Leader Kadhafi
Calls on Sudan to Step Up Peace Efforts", News Article
by Agence France Presse, 17 October 1999
19 October 1999 Rebel
factions at the NDA meeting in Cairo disagree immediately
on the best approach to peace talks. Mohammed Osman al-Mirghani,
President of the National Democratic Alliance, and head
of the Democratic Unionist Party, says that the Libyan-Egyptian
peace initiative was the best "comprehensive political
solution . the only initiative that contains all the parties
[to the conflict] in Sudan". Deng Alor, spokesman for
absent SPLA leader John Garang, says that: "The SPLM/A
believes that there should be one and only one mediation
forum, and that is IGAD." Umma Party leader Sadiq al-Mahdi,
says that failure to combine the Libyan-Egyptian initiatives
might lead to an "internationalisation" of Sudan's
conflict.
"Sudan's Opposition
Divided on Approach to Peace", New Article by Reuters
on 19 October 1999
20 October 1999 NDA
spokesman Faruq Abu Issa accuses the Sudanese government
of "dilly-dallying and manoeuvring to gain more time".
"Sudanese Opposition
Leaders Meet Again in Cairo", News Article by Agence
France Presse, 20 October 1999
21 October 1999 The
SPLA shell the town of Bentiu.
21 October 1999 Umma
Party leader Sadiq al-Mahdi states that the recent change
that took place in Sudan during the NIF conference could
help in reaching a political solution to the Sudanese crisis.
He states that the Umma Party: "Will do all it can
to rally the friendly national, regional and international
will in order to reach a comprehensive political solution."
"Sudan: Opposition
Umma Leader Mahdi Says Change Unavoidable", Al-Sharaq
al-Awsat, London, 21 October 1999
22 October 1999 At
the end of its three-day meeting in Cairo the NDA states
that it will meet again in Kampala on 15 November to name
a delegation that will participate in a preparatory meeting
with Sudanese government representatives to decide on a
framework for eventual peace talks. By then, it states,
it hopes that the two different peace initiatives would
be combined. He also complains that the IGAD initiative
only provided for a dialogue between the Sudanese government
and the SPLA and excluded northern opposition groups also
represented by the umbrella NDA. NDA spokesman Faruq Abu
Isa also states that the SPLA delegation - which did not
include its leader John Garang - opposed going straight
into preparatory talks with the Khartoum government.
"Sudanese Opposition
Plans to Combine Peace Initiatives", News Article by
Agence France Presse, 22 October 1999; "NDA Statement
Reflected Conflict Within Opposition Ranks: Government",
News Article by Agence France Presse, 23 October 1999
22 October 1999 US
Secretary-of-State Madeleine Albright states that she will
be meeting SPLA leader John Garang "as an important
support for what we think needs to be done . to have the
people of the south to be taken seriously in Khartoum".
Albright also strongly dismisses the Egyptian-Libyan peace
initiative, stating that all peace efforts should be under
the umbrella of the IGAD process. She says: "We believe
the IGAD process is the best way to go forward and do not
support other processes that some are suggesting, the Egyptians
or the Libyans."
She further commits US funding
to cover "more than half the expenses" for the
IGAD secretariat's first six months of operation.
"Albright Backs Sudan
Peace Efforts", News Article by Associate Press, 22
October 1999; "Kenya-Led Body Only Path to Sudan Peace:
Albright". News Article by Agence France Presse, 22
October 1999
23 October 1999 Sudanese
government spokesman and Information Minister Dr Ghazi Saleheddin
Atabani states that the NDA communiqué issued after
its Cairo conference reveals that the NDA is in a state
of "paralysis and conflict" and that those in
the NDA supporting national reconciliation "seem incapable
of standing up against the opposing group" which had
succeeded in blocking the immediate formation of an NDA
team for the preparatory meeting for a peace conference.
"NDA Statement Reflected
Conflict Within Opposition Ranks: Government", News
Article by Agence France Presse, 23 October 1999
23 October 1999 US
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright meets SPLA leader
in Nairobi along with IGAD envoys. She praises John Garang
as "a very dynamic leader who has a goal that is difficult
to fulfil because he is not recognised in the international
system" and announces the extension to 5 years of the
Sudan Transitional Assistance for Rehabilitation programme,
giving southern rebels an additional 6 million dollars.
She attacks the Sudanese government for attempting to fool
the world about the severity of the conflict and its intentions
toward the south.
Albright states: "The
people in the government of Khartoum have to realise that
their charm offensive is not charming. In fact, it is offensive.They
have to deal with the huge portions of their population
that don't want to live under Sharia law." Albright
also opposes any rival peace initiatives to IGAD, and urges
the latter to "speedy progress" as "there
is not a lot of time".
Albright further expresses
disquiet about the recently completed Sudanese pipeline.
She says: "I am concerned because it becomes another
resource over which to fight.Part of the problem is that
there seem to be some countries that believe if a central
government that is dictatorial has access to more money
that money will filter to the benefit of the people. That
doesn't happen." She states that she plans to speak
to the Canadian, Malaysian and Chinese governments to express
displeasure with the fact that they allowed companies to
invest in Sudan.
SPLA leader John Garang
pledges his support for the peace process, but a senior
aide states that the SPLA has little confidence that it
would lead to a lasting settlement. He says: "There
is no agreement because the positions of the warring parties
are incompatible.Khartoum has not taken the decision to
search for a political solution. It uses the peace talks
to buy time while carrying out its military program."
"US Boosts Aid to Southern
Sudanese, Urges Reenergised Peace Process", News Article
by Agence France Presse, 23 October 1999; "Albright
Talks Aid, Peace With Sudan Rebel Leader", News Article
by Electronic Telegraph (London), 2 3 October 1999
24 October 1999 Egyptian
Foreign Minister Amr Moussa opens talks with Sudanese Foreign
Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail on the two peace initiatives.
Moussa tries to downplay the significance of Albright's
remarks. He says: "I don't believe that Mrs Albright's
statements were an objection to the Egyptian-Libyan initiative.
I think instead they were a show of support for the IGAD
plan that doesn't rule out our efforts.[the initiative]
does not cancel out the IGAD plan . [it] proposes a total
solution to the Sudanese problem while the IGAD plan is
only limited to the south."
"Egypt, Sudan Foreign
Ministers in Talks on Rival Peace Plans", News Article
by Agence France Presse, 24 October 1999
24 October 1999 Sudanese
Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail emphasises that the
Egyptian-Libyan peace initiative "does not aim to eclipse
the IGAD initiative but tries to supplement IGAD . by looking
to solve the problem comprehensively.[it] is not an alternative
to IGAD. We hope that the US will be more positive towards
this.Our priority is for everyone to use both the proposals
and all our efforts will be directed to that.We hope we
don't reach a point where one group or individual delays
or holds up reaching a complete solution."
"Sudan Backs Combination
of Arab and African Peace Drives", News Article by
Agence France Presse, 24 October 1999
24 October 1999 Libyan
leader Colonel Kadhafi denounces US Secretary of State Albright's
statement regarding the Sudanese peace initiatives. He says:
"This is an unacceptable interference in African affairs.It
is not up to Albright to accept or refuse initiatives toward
peace. This matter does not concern the United States but
the African continent, which can resolve its problems by
itself."
"Libya Denounces Albright's
'Interference' in Sudan Peace-Talk Proposals", News
Article by Agence France Presse, 24 October 1999
24 October 1999 Egyptian
Foreign Minister Amr Moussa has talks with Kenyan President
Daniel arap Moi on both economic ties and the conflicts
in Sudan and Somalia. He states that Moi supports the Egyptian-Libyan
peace initiative.
"Egypt, Kenya Weigh
Bilateral Ties, Sudan, Somalia", New Article by Reuters,
24 October 1999; "Kenya Backs Egyptian-Libyan Peace
Plan on Sudan: Egyptian FM", News Article by XINHUA,
25 October 1999
25 October 1999 The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Eritrea issues a statement
regarding the IGAD initiative. It attacks what it labels
"disinformation", denies that IGAD represents
an "African initiative" and the Egyptian-Libyan
initiative an "Arabic" one, and rejects views
that there is a "fundamental rift within the NDA."
It defends the IGAD process and states that: "To digress
from this approach by undermining the role of IGAD or putting
blame on it will have no meaning other than wasting time
on marginal issues and confounding the peace initiative
. we believe that any interested party that wishes to strengthen
and reinforce the IGAD initiative must bolster the efforts
of IGAD rather than looking for alternative endeavours that
will only dilute the peace process".
"IGAD's Initiative
Remains as Valid as Ever", Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Asmara, Eritrea, 25 October 1999
25 October 1999 Sudanese
Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail accuses the USA of
pursuing a policy that prolongs the Sudanese war. He says:
"Your [i.e. the US] policy will not lead to peace.
It will lead to the continuation of war, the suffering of
the people, the loss of lives in the south . This war, this
problem, will not be settled by fighting. It has to be settled
by political means. The government of Sudan is ready for
that."
Ismail also states that
the Egyptian-Libyan initiative was not intended to replace
the IGAD process but to "coordinate" with it.
"IGAD is for the problem of the south, while the Egyptian-Libyan
initiative offers a comprehensive settlement for the whole
problem of Sudan."
Ismail also replies to US allegations of
violations of religious freedom in Sudan, pointing to the
many southern Christians holding senior posts in the Sudanese
government - a higher proportion than Muslims in American
government. Whilst acknowledging that Sudan's human rights
record was not perfect, he denied
the existence of slavery and says that Sudan was working
with UNICEF and other relief groups to stop "abductions"
of civilians by warring factions. He also states that Sudan
would welcome any objective investigation into slavery allegations
by either the UN, the European Union or the Organisation
of African Unity.
"Interview - Sudan Says US Harming Peace
Prospects", News Article by Reuters, 25 October 1999
