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Key Darfur rebel to boycott talks Darfur rebels begin peace talks
(about 10 hours later)
A Darfur rebel leader says his Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) faction will not attend Friday's peace talks. Dozens of leaders from Darfur's fractured rebel movement have begun talks in Tanzania.
The talks, to be mediated by the United Nations and African Union in Tanzania, are aimed at finding common ground between Darfur's numerous rebel groups. The talks, mediated by the UN and African Union, are aimed at finding common ground between the groups.
The splits are seen as a key factor in the failure of previous talks with the government to end the four-year war. The UN envoy to Sudan, Jan Eliasson, said he was hopeful the talks would lead to peace negotiations with the Khartoum government in several weeks.
The talks follow Tuesday's UN Security Council resolution to send 26,000 peacekeepers to Darfur. But an influential rebel leader has boycotted the talks, signalling the divisions within the movement.
At least 200,000 people are believed to have died and more than 2m left homeless since 2003. Abdul Wahid Mohammad Ahmed al-Nur, of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), told the BBC he had no intention of going to Arusha.
He said he wanted the killing in Darfur to stop before he would participate in negotiations.
UN peacekeepers
The splits between the rebel groups are seen as a key factor in the failure of previous talks with the government to end the four-year war.
At least 200,000 people are believed to have died and more than two million have been left homeless since 2003.
This is in fact a major step, if this meeting turns out to be relatively successful, towards negotiations Jan EliassonUN envoy to Sudan Will peacekeeping force help?
Sudan's government and pro-government Arab Janjaweed militias are accused of war crimes against the region's black African population, although the UN has stopped short of calling it genocide.Sudan's government and pro-government Arab Janjaweed militias are accused of war crimes against the region's black African population, although the UN has stopped short of calling it genocide.
I would like the international community to stop the killing of my people first SLM's Abdul Wahid Mohammad Ahmed al-Nur class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7061&edition=2&ttl=20070801080439">Will peacekeeping force help? The talks follow Tuesday's UN Security Council resolution to send 26,000 peacekeepers to Darfur.
Commanders from more than a dozen rebel groups have been invited to the three-day meeting in Tanzania.Commanders from more than a dozen rebel groups have been invited to the three-day meeting in Tanzania.
"The objective of this meeting here in Arusha is to give the movements, or the various factions of the movements, an opportunity to sit together on various issues concerning the peace process," AU mediator Salim Ahmed Salim told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
"What's important is for them to get together to try and map out a common position," he said.
This is seen as the first step towards getting a deal with the government, so there is a peace for the 26,000 UN and African Union troops to keep.This is seen as the first step towards getting a deal with the government, so there is a peace for the 26,000 UN and African Union troops to keep.
'Major step'
The UN's envoy to Sudan said he thought formal peace negotiations with the Khartoum government could begin in as soon as four weeks.
KEY REBEL PLAYERS SLM: Minni Minnawi's faction signed 2006 peace deal SLM: Abdul Wahid Mohammad Ahmed al-Nur's faction rejected peace deal Jem: Khalil Ibrahim, one of the first rebel groups, rejected dealRebel negotiator: Suleiman Jamous SLM Unity: Abdallah Yehia UFLD: recently formed umbrella group including SLM commanders Other breakaway SLM commanders: Mahjoub Hussein, Jar el-Neby and Suleiman Marajan Estimated to be more than 13 rebel factions in Darfur
"The aim is for them to meet and to co-ordinate as much as possible their positions facing the negotiations, which we hope will start soon," he told the BBC.
"This is in fact a major step, if this meeting turns out to be relatively successful, towards negotiations."
But the exclusion of another rebel negotiator, Suleiman Jamous, who faces arrest if he leaves Darfur, has led to doubts about how much the talks can achieve.But the exclusion of another rebel negotiator, Suleiman Jamous, who faces arrest if he leaves Darfur, has led to doubts about how much the talks can achieve.
Mr Jamous' exclusion has been widely criticised by church leaders and politicians around the world.
'Killing''Killing'
A failed peace deal signed with only one rebel faction last year has led to increased violence in Darfur, deepening splits in the rebel movement.
KEY REBEL PLAYERS SLM: Minni Minnawi's faction signed 2006 peace deal SLM: Abdul Wahid Mohammad Ahmed al-Nur's faction rejected peace deal Jem: Khalil Ibrahim, one of the first rebel groups, rejected dealRebel negotiator: Suleiman Jamous SLM Unity: Abdallah Yehia UFLD: recently formed umbrella group including SLM commanders Other breakaway SLM commanders: Mahjoub Hussein, Jar el-Neby and Suleiman Marajan Estimated to be more than 13 rebel factions in Darfur
The BBC's Karen Allen in Arusha says that this time around, negotiators will be under pressure to find an inclusive settlement.The BBC's Karen Allen in Arusha says that this time around, negotiators will be under pressure to find an inclusive settlement.
However, the SLM'S Abdul Wahid Mohammad Ahmed al-Nur has told the BBC he has no intention of going to Arusha. But Sudan analyst Julie Flint says the situation is much more complex than a rebellion against Khartoum's rule.
"The SLM is not going to participate in this Arusha meeting. I would like the international community to stop the killing of my people first, then we can negotiate in a good place without any preconditions," he said.
"Every day there is killing, there is dying - a hundred people are dying, and being killed by the Khartoum government and the Janjaweed [militia]."
Mr al-Nur is one of the best known rebel leaders but correspondents say he has few fighters on the ground.
He is from Darfur's largest ethnic group, the Fur, and is popular among the 2m in camps for the displaced.
Mr Jamous' exclusion has been widely criticised by church leaders and politicians around the world.
He has acted as a link between rebels and humanitarian workers on the ground, but he has been threatened with arrest by the Khartoum government if he moves from his present in a UN compound near Darfur.
Complex
Sudan analyst Julie Flint says there are numerous rebel groups and factions, which constantly make and break new alliances.
She says that the peace process has little hope of success as the rebels represented in Arusha are only part of a complex situation on the ground in Darfur.
"Darfur today is a multiplicity of conflicts... In looking at this as a government-rebel problem we're addressing the wrong problem," she told BBC Network Africa."Darfur today is a multiplicity of conflicts... In looking at this as a government-rebel problem we're addressing the wrong problem," she told BBC Network Africa.
"I would bet you money that most of the people who have died this year in Darfur have been Arab militias and government soldiers."I would bet you money that most of the people who have died this year in Darfur have been Arab militias and government soldiers.
"The worst fighting has been between Arab groups once armed by the government now fighting each other.""The worst fighting has been between Arab groups once armed by the government now fighting each other."
After months of wrangling, Sudan agreed to the UN resolution after it was watered down.After months of wrangling, Sudan agreed to the UN resolution after it was watered down.
Aid workers hope the larger peacekeeping force will enable them to deliver aid to more of those forced from their homes by the violence.
At present, many parts of Darfur are too dangerous for aid workers to operate in.