Darfur mediators hand draft peace agreement, urge Sudan and JEM to make progress
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April 27, 2011 (DOHA/KHARTOUM) — Darfur mediator handed today as
scheduled a draft peace agreement to the three Sudanese parties
participating in the Doha talks to end the eight year conflict in
Darfur region. They further called on the Sudanese government and
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) make progress in the direct talks.
JPEG - 26.3 kb
Al-Mahmoud and Bassole in a meeting with the sudanese parties in Doha
(file photo QNA)
Joint Chief Mediator, Djirbil Bassole, and Qatari state minister for
foreign affairs, Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud, announced on 19 April
that the draft will be followed by a general conference for Darfur
stakeholders to take place on 18-23 May to debate on the content of
the agreement.
Delegation from the Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality
Movement (JEM) nonetheless, failed to discuss effectively a number of
issues and they are yet to agree on the agenda.
"The Mediation has today, Wednesday, 27April 2011, submitted a draft
Darfur peace document to the heads of delegations participating in the
Darfur peace process in Doha," said a statement put out by Al-Mahmoud
and Bassole on Wednesday evening.
The mediation said the parties have to study the peace document and to
submit their final observations by 7 May.
However due to the slow progress in their direct discussions, they
particularly urged the government and JEM to "continue to negotiate
urgently and directly and to submit the outcomes of their discussions
by Saturday 7 May 2011 for inclusion in the final draft document."
In their latest meeting on Tuesday 26 April, Khartoum and JEM rebels
diverged on what should be discussed in the meetings. The government
delegation said disposed only to discuss the draft of the peace
agreement stipulating talks should not alter the draft agreement.
The rebels for their part, said the agenda should be determined
according to the framework agreement signed last year and the
discussion papers circulated by the two parties on the pending issues.
"We can’t accept a document we are not party in its elaboration as a
framework for the talks, also we are more concerned by peace more than
any deadline," said Gibreel Adam Bilal, JEM spokesperson.
Gibreel told Sudan Tribune that the government does not seek seriously
to reach a peace deal with JEM "the government does not want to
dialogue with us but they do not want to say that frankly".
Following the return of the Sudanese government delegation to Doha,
after its withdrawal from December to mid-February, JEM and Sudanese
government did not directly discuss any of the issues included in the
agenda of the peace negotiations.
However JEM adopted three from four chapters discussed and agreed by
the government and LJM rebels. The group further demanded to discuss
the wealth sharing with Khartoum. On the pending issues, the rebels
said Khartoum should prove its willingness to reach an agreement over
Darfur administrative status in Doha and asked that this issue to top
the agenda of the direct talks.
In the Sudanese capital, the National Elections Commission announced
that the referendum on Darfur status will take place on the first of
July putting more pressure on the rebel delegations.
The other rebel group participating in the talks, Liberation and
Equality Movement (LJM) who suffers a recent dissidence rejected the
referendum saying should be part of the peace agreement and be held
after its signing .
JEM spokesperson said they raised in yesterday meeting the need to
include the other rebel groups emphasizing that a comprehensive and
inclusive peace agreement remains the best option for a durable and
viable settlement in Darfur. He said the lesion of Abuja should not be
repeated.
The Joint Chief mediator Djibril Bassole announced last week he is
called by his government to assume the foreign affairs portfolio and
he will resign after the general conference of Darfur stakeholders.
Presidential adviser in charge of Darfur file, Ghazi Salah Al-Deen
told MPS from the ruling party today, Amin Hassan Omer, government’s
top negotiator is called to Khartoum for consultations on the draft
peace agreement.
The Sudanese government said it needs a quick conclusion of the Doha
process as it plans to hold an internal process to settle the conflict
with the participation of tribal leaders and civil society group.
Also, the head of the AU high level panel on Sudan, Thabo Mbeki will
launch a process similar to that of Sudanese government for
reconciliation and redemption in Darfur. The panel however is
struggling to secure the needed funds for the operation.
(ST)
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