Darfur Rebels not Aware of Talks, Welcome Nigeria

To address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region, the Sudanese government and black African rebel groups have agreed to peace negotiations mediated by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. The meeting, set to take place in Abuja, Nigeria on Aug. 23, will hopefully end the turmoil that has far claimed 50,000 lives since February 2003. Rebel groups set to participate include the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), both of which accuse the central government of neglecting Darfur and arming Arab militias known as Janjaweed who have since looted and burned black African villages. The government denies these claims and has declared the Janjaweed to be outlaws. – YaleGlobal