UN top officials to Darfur discuss ceasefire implementation

December 10, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The head of the hybrid peacekeeping mission, Rodolphe Adada, and the chief mediator, Djibril Bassolé, discussed today ways to implement a ceasefire in Darfur and create a conducive environment before the peace talks.

Since last November Adada, during a meting with the head of Sudanese security and intelligence Salah Gosh, expressed the readiness of his mission to implement a ceasefire in the war-torn region.

Also on November 12 the President Omer Al-Bashir had announced unilateral ceasefire declaration in Darfur. However to make it effective he added “provided that an effective monitoring mechanism is put into action and observed by all involved parties.”

In their meeting Wednesday in the Sudanese capital, Adada and Bassolé discussed how to reach a comprehensive ceasefire where all the warrant parties could be involved.

Actually, the rebel movements have different positions on the issue of ceasefire. The Justice and Equality Movement says it would not commit it self to any ceasefire, as the Sudan Liberation Movement of Abdel Wahid Al-Nur refuses to take part in any peace process unless an effective ceasefire is implemented.

Also, the two rebel groups who refused to sign Aubja agreement recognise only N’djamena ceasefire agreement of April 2004. The UNMAID, in accordance with the Resolution 1769, has capacity to monitor the 2004 ceasefire but it needs to meet the parties to map the positions of troops on the ground as well as to establish a joint ceasefire commission.

But if Khartoum demands to negotiate another ceasefire deal and to assemble rebel troops in defined areas the talks would take more time and could be rejected by rebels.

The CeaseFire Commission established after Addis Ababa deal of May 28 2004 had been dismantled in December 2007.

(ST)