Darfur conference to adopt consensual ground for future peace
agreement - mediators
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May 27, 2011 (DOHA) — Peace mediators announced Friday that the
stakeholders conference aims to adopt and support by mutual consent a
document serving as a base to settle peacefully the eight year
conflict in Darfur.
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Qatari Minister Ahamed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud and JMC Djbril Bassolé
addressing the opening session of All Darfur Stakeholders Conference
in Doha on 27 May 2011 (photo Olivier Chassot/UNAMID)
"This conference will discuss the achievements of Doha talks and we
expect it will come out with a text that will serve as consensual
ground for future agreement between the Sudanese parties to end the
Darfur conflict," stated the Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassole in
statements to Sudan Tribune.
Bassole further said the outcome of the conference will be the fruit
of the efforts exerted by the parties and stakeholders who have to
work together for peace in Darfur now and after the signing of an
agreement.
The five day meeting gathers over 500 participants from Darfur
representing civil society, tribal leaderships, refugees and displaced
persons, states institutions, and national political parties. The
meeting is also attended by regional and international envoys.
The spokesperson of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Gibreel
Adam Bilal contested the legitimacy of the civil society
representation in the meeting saying the government detained two
delegates coming from South and West Darfur. He further said that five
other delegates including the leader of a IDPs body, were prevented
from travelling to Doha.
In their remarks at the opening session of the conference Bassole and
the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs, Ahmed bin Abdullah
Al-Mahmoud stressed on the need to have a comprehensive peace
agreement involving the JEM, LJM and the Sudan Liberation Movement led
by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur.
Al-Mahmoud highlighted the major steps achieved by the mediation since
2008. He also said the peace document that the conference will discuss
represents the outcome of what has been done in the talks between the
government and the rebels but also the civil society forums held in
Doha besides the mediation’s visits to Darfur.
"We have seen in the mediation after consultation with you and with
our regional and international partners to develop a comprehensive
peace document to be a framework for resolving the Darfur issue,"
Al-Mahmoud told the meeting.
He also reiterated the commitment of the Emir of Qatar and his
government to continue supporting the mediation to reach a peaceful
agreement in Darfur and to rehabilitate the war ravaged region.
Sudanese officials said in the recent days that they are expecting to
sign a peace agreement at the end of the conference with the rebel
Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) led by Tijani El-Sissi.
Ghazi Salah Al-Deen after his return from Doha last week stated that
he convinced the mediator to present a final draft peace agreement to
the stakeholders conference. He also alluded that a peace agreement
might be signed with LJM disclosing that he met with LJM leader.
Tadjadine Bechir Niam, LJM chief negotiator, on Friday said their
group may sign a peace agreement if the government agree to their
demands in the power sharing chapter particularly the position of the
vice-president and to top the referendum on Darfur administrative
status.
Niam told Sudan Tribune Khartoum should allocate a post of
vice-president to Darfur and to appoint someone agreed by the rebel
groups and not from the ruling National Congress Party.
"If they do not agree on these issues we cannot sign a document that
does not guarantee the minimum for Darfur people," Niam said.
However Ahmed Tugud, head of JEM negotiating team in Doha, told Sudan
Tribune that Bassole and Al-Mahmoud during the opening session "were
very clear they will only hand over the outcome of their efforts to
the conference".
"So the mediation, above all, wants to get the feedback of
participants at the conference and include it in a future document
that will be the base for any negotiation between the parties,” Tugud
said.
Asked about what Niam said about the signing of a peace agreement,
Tugud stressed they do not think that all LJM leadership share what
the former said. He also stressed that the mediation and the
international community refuse such an option because it does not
represent a viable solution for the conflict.
Commissions and workshops will start Saturday with discussions on key
issues contained in six chapters of a draft peace agreement as power
and wealth sharing, human rights and freedom, return of displaced
persons and refugees, compensations and security arrangements.
The Prince of Qatar is expected to address the stakeholders conference
at the closing session on 31 May where the findings of the conference
will be put out by the mediation team.
Regional and international partners will hold a meeting to discuss the
conclusions of the stakeholders. The US which is represented by Dane
Smith and Princeton Lyman and the EU envoy support the idea of
pursuing the negotiations in order to reach an inclusive and durable
agreement.
The African Union and Sudanese government said they want to conclude
the talks with the rebel groups and hold another internal process
associating mainly the IDPs, civil society and tribal leaders.
(ST)
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