Abdelshafi of SLM appoints advisor for foreign relations

February 07, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The chairman and commander-in-chief of one of the Darfur splinter groups of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, Ahmed Abdelshafi Toba, has named Mayik Ayii Deng as special advisor for foreign relations.

The SLM faction led by Ahmed Abdelshafi Toba is a member of the Addis Ababa Group, which comprises Darfur rebels who declared political unity at a conference in the Ethiopian capital in August last year.

The written decree appointing the official, seen by Sudan Tribune, cited Abdelshafi’s powers of appointment under a 2007 constitution adopted by the rebel faction. The order, issued February 2, made Mayik Ayii Deng the Advisor to the SLM/A for External Affairs effective immediately. He was in Juba, South Sudan, at the time of his appointment.

“I will lobby for any possible support for unification of the Darfur rebel factions as well support humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced persons, mostly women, children and elderly people in the area,” the advisor said in an interview.

Mayik Ayii Deng also said he applauded the decision appointing him to serve Darfur in this capacity and promised to do anything possible to bring peace and stability to the war ravaged region of Darfur. He said will knock at all doors of humanitarian communities and sympathizers to increase efforts on campaign for lasting peace in the region.

The official however commented that given the interrelated nature of Sudan’s multiple crises, the state of the Darfur peace process should be considered as an indicator of the overall process in Sudan.

He said, notwithstanding the fact that the ruling National Congress has stated that it is willing to negotiate, it has failed to adhere to multiple commitments in Darfur and the current process lacks the credibility needed to attract all parties to the table.

“The international community and other western worlds such as America, the United Kingdom and Canada, to name but a few, should therefore without hesitation initiate a viable process and press the Sudanese government, rebel groups, and key civil society actors to come to the table and negotiate in good faith,” he said.

He said he is committed to lobby a way forward for the Darfur peace process that calls for the United States and others to work with the joint United Nations/African Union mediation team to put forward a common framework for a peace agreement.

He further reiterated that he will exert efforts to unify various rebel movements and the need to allow independent civil society groups to reach broad consensus on a position for negotiations.

Credible and independent civil society groups should be allowed to freely participate in the peace process without obstruction of their travel or right to assemble, he said. Partly this may have been a reference to a planned conference last year for Darfur civil society groups, arranged by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which was cancelled because the government obstructed participants’ travel to the event.

(ST)