20110308
reuters

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's president plans to create two additional states in the western Darfur territory, officials said, in what rebels described as bid to curb their influence and strengthen central control from Khartoum.

Darfur, scene of an insurgency pitting mostly non-Arab rebels against government troops backed by largely Arab militias, is carved up into three parts -- North, South and West Darfur.

Sudan's president had approved the creation of two additional states -- Central Darfur, with Zalingei as its capital, and Eastern Darfur, with Ed Daein as its capital, reported the pro-government Sudan Vision newspaper on Tuesday.

"The decision is taken. Now we are waiting for a presidential decree," said Rabie Abdelati, from President's Omar Hassan al-Bashir's ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

Abdelati told Reuters it would be more efficient to administer Darfur's vast territory -- all together about the size of Spain -- through five smaller administrations.

"The government will be closer to the people and not far away from them," he said.

Darfur's large Fur tribe and other groups have long opposed the division of Darfur, saying it sliced up their territory and turned them into minority players in each state.

One of the rebels' main complaints when they launched the revolt in 2003 was that they did not have enough say in regional government.