Rebels say they are observing ceasefire

The rebel movement in Sudan said on Tuesday it is still observing a ceasefire with government forces, which expired on 15 July. Samson Kwaje, spokesman for Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in Nairobi, told IRIN: “Both the SPLA and the government have not said the ceasefire is dead. As far as we are concerned, we are respecting the ceasefire and allowing the NGOs and Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) continue their humanitarian mission.” Reacting to repeated government allegations that SPLA forces had violated the ceasefire in the southern Sudan’s Bar el Ghazal province, Kwaje said it was government “provocation” which had led to SPLA counter-attacks, resulting in the SPLA capture on 24 June of Gogrial, Bahr el Ghazal province. Kwaje accused the government of launching two air attacks in Bahr el Ghazal, on Saturday 22 July and Saturday 15 July in which bombs were dropped on humanitarian targets from government-owned Soviet-era Antonov aircraft. Both attacks have been independently confirmed by humanitarian organisations. “Obviously, we had nothing to do with this because our organisation does not operate any aircraft, and it is no secret that these were government aircraft which conducted the attacks,” Kwaje said. “We urge the international community not only to condemn such attacks, but also to press the government not to carry out its warnings that it might ban the OLS humanitarian flights.” The government had said at the weekend that relief should not be used to fan conflict, but denied that it had threatened to ban the OLS humanitarian operation. In response to government overtures for peace talks, he underlined the readiness of the SPLA to meet under the auspices of the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).