Sudan peace accord marks start of long road to peace but implementation will not be easy

26 May 2004 NAIVASHA, KENYA - The signing today of an historic peace accord between the government of Sudan, represented by Vice President Ali Osman Taha, and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), represented by Dr. John Garang, is a momentous step towards ending Africa's longest-running civil war but marks only the beginning of the long road to peace, global humanitarian organisation CARE International said. "This is a major breakthrough, and we welcome it with great relief and excitement for the possibilities. But lasting peace takes more than signatures on a document: To make it reality, the Sudanese people must see the payoff of peace. While the government of Sudan ultimately shoulders the responsibility for ensuring lasting peace, the international community must help this process through a strong package of incentives and disincentives - political and economic - in adherence with international law," said Leo Roozendaal, CARE's country director in Sudan. Implementation of the settlement will not be easy. Its success depends on the staying power of both the Sudanese people and the international community - the governments of the UK, Norway, U.S. and Kenya, among others, have been central to helping Sudanese negotiators reach this point. Now, it is essential that the Government of Sudan and the SPLM focus their efforts on addressing the key underlying causes of Sudan's conflicts. The crisis of governance, the lack of respect for human rights and the marginalisation of civil society, all contributed to the war and have helped foster new crises, such as the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Sudan's Darfur region. This accord must be followed up with positive action on the following points: • The parties have agreed to an equitable sharing of wealth and power, including income derived from the country's considerable oil resources. Nine out of 10 Sudanese now live in poverty and such income should be directed toward poverty alleviation and development. People throughout Sudan must play a role in determining how income from oil and other sources of revenue is spent. • Security is critical. The militias, who are responsible for much of the violence and abuse, must be reined in and held to account for their atrocities. The Sudanese people who have been forced from their homes must be able to return without the fear that their lives are still in danger. • A just and lasting peace requires real changes in methods of governance and accountability, as well as increased participation of ordinary people in decision-making processes. For peace to take root, all Sudanese must have a stake in their future. • The continued engagement of the international community is vital. The United Nations (UN) must strengthen its planning for the proposed peace keeping operation. Donor countries and agencies must coordinate their reconstruction and rehabilitation work to encourage reconciliation. Concerned governments must support the demobilisation and reintegration of combatants into communities and the creation of professional military forces that genuinely protect civilians. The agreement offers Sudan the best hope yet for an end to a war that has killed more than two million people, displaced another five million and left the country blighted by chronic poverty. It provides a chance for people to return home and build a new life, free from fear and violence.

About CARE International in Sudan: CARE, as part of a coalition of five international NGOs, has worked constantly over the past two years to maintain the international community's constructive engagement with both parties to achieve peace. CARE has been active in Sudan since 1979 and works in North, South and West Kordofan, Greater Khartoum, Unity and Bahr El Gazal states. Activities include water supply, reproductive health and family planning, agriculture and emergency food relief. In southern Sudan, CARE has worked with local communities, internally displaced people and refugees from neighboring countries. Activities include agriculture, health and education. CARE is one of the world's leading humanitarian organisations fighting global poverty in more than 70 countries. CARE helps communities improve their quality of life through projects in agriculture and natural resources, economic development, education, food, health, water and sanitation and emergency response.

For interviews or more information, please contact: Kate Bulbulian, Press Officer, Tel: +44 (0) 207 934 9347, Mob: +44 (0) 7766 051 925 email: bulbulian@ciuk.org