November 18, 2009 (DOHA) – Darfur mediation announced today the postponement of peace talks between the government and the rebel groups pledging its resumption soon after evaluation of the ongoing rebel reunification process.
- A picture released on Wednesday Nov 18, 2009 by the Qatari News Agency of the official inauguration session of Drafur civil society consultations in Doha
The African Union –United Nations mediation since last month was preparing to hold comprehensive talks between the government and the various rebel groups including the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Khalil Ibrahim, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led Abdel Wahid Al-Nur, the SLM Revolutionary Forces and a group of rebel factions sponsored by the US envoy that has yet to finalize its process.
JEM refuses to resume talks with the government and asks Khartoum to implement a goodwill agreement signed last February. However, it dispatched a delegation to Doha to discuss a strategy for the peace process. The SLM-AW engaged recently consultations with the joint mediator but refuses to join the Doha process posing some conditions related to the security situation of the displaced Darfurians.
The recently formed in Libya from splinter SLM factions, the SLM-RF says ready to engage talks with the government. While the position of Addis Ababa group, sponsored by the US envoy to Sudan, remains unclear. Some of the rebel factions in this group say unification should not be linked to the peace talks while other express readiness to join the process. But all agree on the need to hold their unity conference inside the country.
"Since some of these Movements are now in the process of unifying their negotiating structures and positions, they promised to return to Doha in the few coming days, upon the finalization of the aforesaid process, to engage in negotiations for the final solution," said the mediation in a statement released on Wednesday in Doha.
The mediation said it took this decision after a series of "intensive contacts" conducted with the different rebel groups.
"The representatives of these Movements reiterated their attachment to Doha as the unified forum for negotiations and undertook to pursue their cooperation and consultations with the Mediation with a view to defining the modality for the commencement of the peace talks in order to achieve a just, comprehensive and final solution to the Darfur crisis."
The consultative meeting with Darfur civil society groups has been officially inaugurated today with the participation of the Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani, the Chairman of the African Union Commission Jean Ping, Commissioner of the AU Peace and Security Council, Ramtane Lamamra and the acting head of the UNMAID Henry Anyidoho.
The civil society consultations that will continue to Friday November 20, are considered by the mediation as "complementary to and supportive" for the ongoing efforts to end the conflict. Il mediation stressed that these meetings are not a "substitute" for the political process between the governùent and the rebel groups.
The mediation said it would fix the date of the political negotiations soon.
(ST)
Are Arabs evil simply because they are Arabs?
Tuesday 9 February 2010
By Zechariah Manyok Biar February 8, 2010 — The struggle for freedom is a complicated thing. Oppressed people who struggle for freedom can sometimes turn oppressors if they are not careful in the (...)
When did the SPLM turn separatist?
Monday 8 February 2010
By Charles B. Kisanga February 7, 2010 — In their desperate attempt to mislead Southern opinion, Salva Kiir and the clique around him are going around claiming that they are the champions of the (...)
Maintain Arman candidacy for Sudanese presidency
Sunday 7 February 2010
By Koang Tut Jing February 6, 2010 — The National Congress Party’s latest political maneuvering must not blindfolds the SPLM from looking outside the box. The endorsement of Kiir by the NCP (...)