The Sudan would like to express its dismay and disapproval of the link which is being kutted between the genocide which had taken place in Rwanda ten years ago and the current situation in Darfur – Western Sudan.
The Government of the Sudan highly appreciates the concerns expressed by the Secretary General of the United Nations Mr. Kofi Annan in his statement before the Commission on Human Rights on 7 April 2004 on the occasion of the commemoration the 10th Anniversary of the Rwandese Genocide.

The Government of the Sudan however, would like to recognize the fact that the situation in Darfur is a real concern to the Government itself. Recurrent tribal conflicts in the region over pastures and water resources have pitted nomadic and sedentaty Inbcs against each other. This situation was aggravated by the smuggling of illicit fire arms from neighboring countries since the early eighties. It is worth observing that tribal conflicts do take place in Sudan like in many countries with meager resources and complicated and diverse demographic textures. Such tribal conflicts can in no way be depicted as ‘ethnic cleansing’! or ‘genocide’.

The security situation in the area has furthermore exacerbated by the illegal activities of two armed groups, namely the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) which rook arms against the Government thus creating serious setback in the law and order in Darfur Slales.

The Government of the Sudan would like to state the following:

1. Darfur has been Open to the international community:
   
   • The Troi.ka of the European Ambassadors in Khartoum visited Darfur three times during the past few weeks.
   • The Representative of the Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Mr. Tom Vraalain visited the area twice during the past few months.
   • A representative of tile Office of the coordinator of Humanitarian affairs, Mr Allgustburger visited Darfur and remained there for six weeks.
   • 15 International Non-Governmental Organizations are operating in Darfur in addition to representatives of United Nations Agencies as well as national NGO’s.
   • Delegations from the United States Agency for international development (USAID) visited the region several times during the last few months.
2. The security council was briefed last weeked by the coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs on the situation in Darfur the council has issued après statement which was welcomed by the statement encouraged the two parties to reach on the humanitarian cease-fire and the conclusion of a political settlement.
3. All these facts draw a distinct line between the situation in Darfur and that which took place in Rwanda when the international community turned a blind eye to the tragedies and violence that the befell the Rwanda people. If the violence in Darfur was perpetrated or instigated by the Government, the letter would not have given access to the UN agencies and others enumerated above.
4. The Government of the Sudan has, since the offset of the deterioration of the situation in Darfur, rested to this situation in a swift, responsible and transparent manner, the government sat with the armed groups in numerous rounds of peace talks which did not yield tangible results in bringing about durable and peaceful solutions due to the intransigence of theses groups. Following the collapse of the Ndjamena peace talks in January 2004, the armed groups escalated the attacks on innocent civilians, situation which prompt the Government to deploy additional military personnel into the area in order to preserve law and order and to protect the civilian populations as well as public and private property.
5. The situation has witnessed improvement during the past eight days since the resumption of the peace talks currently taking place in Ndjamena between the representatives of the Government and the armed groups under the auspices of H.E. President Idriss Debi of Chad.
6. Its imperative to underscore the fact that theses talks are conducted in the presence of the international and regional representation, including the African Union, the European Union, the United States, the United nations agencies and leading NGO’S.
7. Early this week, the Government of the Sudan, has shown responsibility and transparency by voluntarily extending an invitation to the Secretary General to send a high-level delegation to Darfur with a view to establishing the facts of the situation in the area.
8. The UN delegation will be accorded the almost cooperation from the Sudanese Government; it will have full access to all areas and individual in Darfur.
9. The Government of the Sudan has established on April 7, 2004 a ministrial Committee consisting of the ministers of Foreign Affairs the interior, Defence and the Humanitarian Affairs.
10. The Committee is entrusted with following:
    • To control and disarm militias and non-regular forces that target the civilian population or hinder the delivery of the relief
    • To open all relief corridors and to ensure unimpeded access to the area for humanitarian assistance.
    • To provide basic needs for the affected population in the area
    • To create a conductive atmosphere for the destabilization and normalization of the situation in Darfur
11. The ministerial committee will tour Darfur affected areas as of today the 8th of April, accompanied by the ambassadors of the USA, EU France , the Directors of the UN agencies in the Sudan, namely UNICEF, WHO VFP, the acting Resident Coordinator of the UN and the correspondents of the leading news agencies Reuters the BBC, Ajarabia TV, the Sudanese journalists and the directors of the local and International NGO’s.
12. At the initiative of the Sudanese Government the commissioner of the African Union Alfa Omar Konaari will send a high level delegation to Darfur in the coming ten days.
13. The president of the Republic has instructed the Ministry of Finance to accord top priority to the funding of the humanitarian needs of the affected population.
14. The Ndjamena talks are meant to realize cease-fire that will lead to the pacification of the region and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected population. These talks have on 7/4/2004 scored remarkable progress in finalizing the agreement on humanitarian cease-fire. The talks are now focusing on finalizing the political settlement. These developments will undoubtly pave the way for another national forum designed to address reconciliation and peaceful coexistence at the grass-roots level. Only then can life get back to normal in Darfur. The international community, including in particular our African brothers is called upon to assist the Sudan in realizing the plans of the Government to bring about peace and stability in the region.