Violence in Darfur escalates despite peace talks

Peace talks continued past an April 30 deadline in an attempt to end the conflict between rebel groups and government forces in Darfur, Sudan. The Sudanese government agreed to terms of a proposed peace agreement over the weekend, but some rebel groups balked at the proposal. The deadline for the talks, sponsored by the African Union, has been extended to May 2.

Meanwhile, thousands of people in the United States rallied over the weekend to encourage the U.S. government to take a more active role in ending the three-year-old conflict that has left at least 200,000 people dead and two million homeless.

The Minneapolis-based American Refugee Committee has provided health care and other services to people displaced by the ethnic conflict in Darfur since 2004.

Jerry Farrell, ARC country director for northern Sudan, talked with Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Crann from Khartoum, Sudan.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 05/01/2006, 4:48 p.m.