Darfur rebels fail to agree on joint positions on the remaining issues
in Doha talks
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May 18, 2011 (DOHA) — The two rebel groups participating in Doha
process for peace in Darfur failed to agree on ways to coordinate
their positions as the mediators prepare for stakeholders conference
by the end of May to assess the progress in the talks.
JPEG - 51.4 kb
Rebels from LJM (L) and JEM (R) during a meeting held on 16 May 2011
(photo sudanljma.com)
The Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) led by Tijani El-Sissi said
it concluded the negotiations on the major issues and minor
divergences are left to the mediation to propose a compromise on it.
On the other hand, talks between the government delegation and the
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) did not achieve any progress and
their position are divergent on many chapters.
To avoid a partial peace agreement between the government and LJM ,
the international community envoys who follow the talks closely from
Doha thought to push the two rebel groups to find out a common ground
for their positions from the proposed draft peace agreement.
The major issues of divergence with the government are the power
sharing, including the position of vice-president and Darfur
administrative status, and the security arrangements dealing with the
ceasefire and the integration of the rebel combatants.
"We proposed to coordinate our positions on the power sharing and the
security arrangements, said LJM top negotiator Tadjadine Bechir Niam
who stressed that no time to extend discussion on the other issues.
Niam further said JEM asked for a complete coordination over all the
six chapters of the draft peace agreement, adding they refused such
idea as they agreed on many things with Khartoum.
Analysts agree the approaches adopted by the two rebel groups in the
talks are not similar and this might complicate coordination even on
the power sharing file alone.
JEM believes that Darfur conflict should be resolved within a national
framework including the reshaping of the territorial administration of
the Sudanese state. While LJM is focused on the situation in Darfur
only.
On the issue of the vice-president, LJM asks for a vice-president from
Darfur region but does not stress that he should be from a rebel group
like JEM which also demands to allocate the post of First
Vice-President to Darfur.
On the administrative status, LJM supports the creation of a regional
authority but wants the different states of Darfur (three or five) to
remain linked directly to the central government. JEM call to divide
Sudan in big regions (six) and every region including Darfur should
get its own government and legislative body. All the regions are
represented at the central level by their institutions.
JEM spokesperson, Gibreel Adam Bilal confirmed that his movement wants
to reach an agreement determining general standards on power and
wealth sharing for the whole country.
Gibreel stressed that during the two day meeting JEM pointed out the
need to converge on the amount of compensation (LJM 250 per family
while JEM 400 per individual). He also said that the role of
international justice should be clearly defined.
"The draft agreement speaks about the jurisdiction of the Sudanese
courts over Darfur crimes, but no mention is made to the Sudanese
officials wanted by the International Criminal Court," he said. "We
need to take a position over these issues and also over the hybrid
courts," he emphasized.
JEM spokesperson further said the chapter on public freedoms is silent
over the emergency law, national security law and other legislations
restricting human rights and freedoms.
Two weeks ago US envoy for Sudan Princeton Lyman said his country does
not support a peace deal between Khartoum and one rebel group but
called for an inclusive peace agreement.
The mediation and the US Senior Adviser for Darfur Dane Smith proposed
last week to delay talks between JEM and government delegations for
the after Darfur stakeholders conference scheduled to be held in Doha
at the end of the month.
But the head of the government delegation at the peace process Amin
Hassan Omer stated that that his delegation will leave Doha at the end
of May stressing that they agreed over 95 % of the negotiated issues
with the LJM led by El-Sissi
Presidential adviser charged of Darfur file, Ghazi Salah Al-Deen
arrived on Wednesday evening in Doha for talks with the mediation.
Sudan had already withdrawn its delegation from Doha last December but
resumed talks with JEM in March 2011 on the basis of a draft agreement
of chapters negotiated between the government and LJM.
On Wednesday, JEM and a dissident faction of the LJM signed an
agreement providing the two groups agree on the same positions over
the draft peace agreement.
(ST)
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