July 7, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — A conference for peace and development in Darfur will be held in Al-Fasher next week with the participation of a wide range of delegates to prepare for a dialogue process among Darfurians.

The two day meeting which will take place on 10-12 July comes one year after the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) by Sudanese government and the former rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) led by Tijani El-Sissi on 14 July 2011.

Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) which is tasked with the implementation of the DDPD wanted to hold this gathering at the level of local leaders and civil society groups since last April but financial difficulties caused the delay.

Tadjadine Bechir Niam, DRA Minister of Reconstruction, Development and Infrastructure, told the Sudanese radio on Friday that the meeting comes in line with the spirit of the Doha process where traditional leaders and civil society groups were involved in the national and international efforts to achieve peace in Darfur.

He stressed this meeting should come out with a united vision over the voluntary return of the displaced persons and the reconciliation between the different tribal components of Darfur after the years of armed conflict that led to the death of 300.000 people according to the UN agencies.

Niam who was the chief negotiator of the LJM during the Doha process said this meeting will prepare for a process of dialogue among Darfurians included in the DDPD.

The framework peace document provides to hold a Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation (DIDC) to mobilize the popular support to the peace agreement and promote confidence-building and encourage reconciliation among the people of the region.

The meeting is expected to be inaugurated by the First Vice-President Ali Osman Taha and attended by foreign delegations.

Aksed about the protests taking place in different town against the regime after the removal of oil subsidies, Niam said the police should allow the exercise of the freedom of expression and gathering as long as they are peaceful and in line with the public order.

(ST)