Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir has declared the seven-year Darfur conflict over, a day after signing an initial peace deal with a major rebel group.
"Now the war is finished in Darfur,” Beshir told supporters Wednesday, February 24 at a rally El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, reported Reuters.
“... We must start fighting the war for development."
The Khartoum government signed Tuesday a ceasefire agreement with the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
The two sides also signed a framework accord to launch immediate talks to reach a final peace agreement by March 15.
The 12-point provisional deal offered the JEM a power-sharing role in Sudan, where presidential and legislative polls are due in April.
"The war in Darfur is over. Darfur is now at peace," said Beshir, the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
"The combat of arms is over, and the one of development now begins.
"We need to make more efforts to develop Sudan and Darfur," he said.
The Darfur conflict broke out in 2003 when rebels took up arms against the government accusing it of discrimination.
The UN says over 300,000 have died as a result of conflict, disease and malnutrition and 2,5 million have been displaced.
The Sudanese government says that 10,000 have died.
No independent inquiry has been made to date.
Peace Hopes
Consolidating peace efforts, the Khartoum government released scores of JEM fighters.
"Today we free 57 people: 50 had been condemned to death, five to prison terms and two who were being investigated," said Justice Minister AbdelBasit Sabdarat.
Half of those freed were imprisoned for launching a shock attack on Khartoum in 2008.
"This is a big day. My brother is in prison. He is a soldier of JEM. I am a supporter of JEM," a student told Reuters outside Khartoum’s Kober prison.
"This is the first time that JEM is acting in front of the people, in front of the people's eyes."
A group of about 30 blue-shirted detainees were swamped by supporters as they walked out of the prison grounds.
"My only concern is to give the people of Darfur their rights, to give any old woman or child their rights," said freed prisoner Adam Abdullah al-Nur.
Another of those released, Ali Baraka Hamid, also cheered the peace deal.
"All I want to say is up with justice, up with Khalil," he shouted from a bus shuttling the men from the prison gates, in reference to JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim.
Despite the high peace hopes, the JEM leader renewed calls for the government to postpone the scheduled April elections.
"Our position is to postpone elections in Sudan, because a majority of people are displaced outside the borders,” Ibrahim said.
“We're asking for more time. Otherwise we're excluding masses of people, four to five million."
"Now the war is finished in Darfur,” Beshir told supporters Wednesday, February 24 at a rally El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, reported Reuters.
“... We must start fighting the war for development."
The Khartoum government signed Tuesday a ceasefire agreement with the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
The two sides also signed a framework accord to launch immediate talks to reach a final peace agreement by March 15.
The 12-point provisional deal offered the JEM a power-sharing role in Sudan, where presidential and legislative polls are due in April.
"The war in Darfur is over. Darfur is now at peace," said Beshir, the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
"The combat of arms is over, and the one of development now begins.
"We need to make more efforts to develop Sudan and Darfur," he said.
The Darfur conflict broke out in 2003 when rebels took up arms against the government accusing it of discrimination.
The UN says over 300,000 have died as a result of conflict, disease and malnutrition and 2,5 million have been displaced.
The Sudanese government says that 10,000 have died.
No independent inquiry has been made to date.
Peace Hopes
Consolidating peace efforts, the Khartoum government released scores of JEM fighters.
"Today we free 57 people: 50 had been condemned to death, five to prison terms and two who were being investigated," said Justice Minister AbdelBasit Sabdarat.
Half of those freed were imprisoned for launching a shock attack on Khartoum in 2008.
"This is a big day. My brother is in prison. He is a soldier of JEM. I am a supporter of JEM," a student told Reuters outside Khartoum’s Kober prison.
"This is the first time that JEM is acting in front of the people, in front of the people's eyes."
A group of about 30 blue-shirted detainees were swamped by supporters as they walked out of the prison grounds.
"My only concern is to give the people of Darfur their rights, to give any old woman or child their rights," said freed prisoner Adam Abdullah al-Nur.
Another of those released, Ali Baraka Hamid, also cheered the peace deal.
"All I want to say is up with justice, up with Khalil," he shouted from a bus shuttling the men from the prison gates, in reference to JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim.
Despite the high peace hopes, the JEM leader renewed calls for the government to postpone the scheduled April elections.
"Our position is to postpone elections in Sudan, because a majority of people are displaced outside the borders,” Ibrahim said.
“We're asking for more time. Otherwise we're excluding masses of people, four to five million."
