SLM leader says holding large consultations in Darfur

July 15, 2007 (LONDON) — In reaction to Tripoli meeting on Darfur peace process, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Abdelwahid al-Nur, reiterated that negotiations should be with the two main groups that participated in Abuja talks.

Al-Nur disclosed to Sudan Tribune that his group is conducting consultations among the different bodies of the SLM. “We are currently organizing meetings for the military commanders of the movement, for the IDPs, the refugees in Chad, CAR, Libya and Egypt.” He added that members of the SLM in the Diaspora worldwide are also in involved in the consultations.

According to him, the purpose of this move is to better reflect the point of view of Darfur people during the forthcoming negotiating. But, he warned that international community must provide security for the IDPs before and during the talks.

He urged that international community to support such genuine efforts, saying that question of the representation of Darfur people seems would be the main challenge during the expected talks.

“Khartoum works to falsify the representation of Darfur people during the next talks, mediators and the international community should be aware of this fact” He said.

Al-Nur refused to comment the creation of a new rebel group but he insisted that the legitimacy of any one who pretends to represent Darfur people must come from Darfurians but not elsewhere.

He said “any international responsible who visits Darfur knows very well who the real representative of the people there is. If I have a place in the heart of these people, simply it is because I’m the one who defends their demands.”

Delegations from the U.N., African Union and 18 countries including Sudanese government were in Libya on Sunday in an effort to promote a political solution to the four-year-old conflict in Sudan’s western war-torn Darfur region.

Triploi conference comes as the UN examines a revised Security Council draft resolution authorising a joint peacekeeping force in Darfur for an initial 12 months to replace the embattled AU force.

(ST)