AU panel on Darfur meets Vice President Taha
April 2, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – A high-level delegation representing the African Union began its visit to Sudan with consultations yesterday with Sudanese Vice-President Ali Osman Taha, according to the UN-African Union hybrid operation spokesperson Noureddine Mezni.
The eight-member panel is comprised of three former African heads of state including Mbeki, Burundi’s Pierre Buyoya and Nigeria’s General Abu Salam Abu-Bakr. It aims to submit recommendations to the AU Chairman on “how best to reconcile the fight against impunity (in Darfur) while also dealing with reconciliation and forgiveness,” according to AU Chairman Jean Ping. Some Sudanese officials have suggested that the panel would observe local judicial proceedings, but its mandate is vague.
“The panel’s interactions with the Sudanese stakeholders so far suggest that everything possible must be done as speedily as possible to end the conflict in Darfur” said chairman Mbeki.
“Everyone wants a long lasting solution to the conflict which must be characterised by peace and reconciliation which addresses such crimes as were committed during and in the context of the conflict as well as attending to matters of socio-economic development” he said.
Mbeki resigned as president of South Africa in September 2008 just days after visiting Khartoum, following a power struggle within his party, the ruling African National Congress. He had been awarded Sudan’s Insignia of Honour during a visit in 2005. At the end of his last visit, he and President al-Bashir issued a joint communiqué against the ICC procedures. The two presidents also urged the international community to provide more logistical and financial support to the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
This panel has no specific mandate concerning UNAMID; rather, a separate AU delegation headed by AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra represented the AU at a Tripartite Committee meeting held in El Fasher on Tuesday.
The mission has deployed 67 percent of its mandated military personnel, but it faces logistical challenges, bureaucratic hurdles and security threats. For instance, a special Nepalese police unit deployed to Nyala has not received eight armoured personnel carriers of Czech origin, which are currently at a Red Sea port, because Sudan denied the Czech trainers visas to enter the country. It also lacks key equipment because no country has yet donated it, according to public statements made by Force Commander Martin Luther Agwai after a meeting with US officials.
Fourteen peacekeepers have been killed in Darfur since the hybrid mission took over from a solely AU force in January 2008. After the last deadly attack on March 17, spokesman Kemal Saiki told Reuters, “This was not a carjacking gone wrong. This was a cold-blooded ambush. They were waiting for us.”
In addition to the meetings with government officials, the panel immediately after its arrival yesterday afternoon also met with representatives of Sudanese political parties the Joint AU-UN mediation team, according to Mezni.
“During its stay in Sudan, the Panel will continue to interact with other political players, civil society, representatives of multi-lateral institutions working in the Sudan and will conduct site visits to Darfur” said Mbeki. “Most importantly, the Panel looks forward to meeting with Darfurian stakeholders on the ground in the next two days.”
(ST)