France’s Kouchner critical of SLM’s Nur for rejecting Darfur peace process
March 25, 2010 (PARIS) — France’s foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, criticized Darfur rebel leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur for his rejection of the Doha peace process and advised his French friends to abandon him.
Speaking about what he achieved since his appointment on May 17, 2007, Kouckner insisted on his action for Darfur. He stressed he had instigated and organized the international conference on Darfur in Paris some months after his appointment, the EUFOR troops deployed in Chad to protect Darfur refugees, and the UN Security Council resolution 1769 relative to the hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur (UNAMID).
The French minister, who seemingly had been affected by the tough criticism of his friend Gilles Hertzog, further said he supported the efforts exerted by Qatar and the Joint Chief Mediator to end the conflict in Darfur. Kouchner hailed “the (framework) agreement” signed by Sudanese government and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement on February 23.
In turn, he criticized Abdel Wahid Al-Nur for refusing to join the peace process in Doha pointing an accusing finger to his “stubbornness and his growing isolation”.
“For three years, the rebel leader Abdel Al-Wahid Al-Nur, to whom we offered hospitality, refuses to participate in this process. Nobody understands his stubbornness and his growing isolation is a barrier,”
The minister further said he discussed the untenable situation recently with two of his supporters, the influential philosophers Bernard-Henri Lévy and André Glucksmann.
“I recently explained for two of his main supporters in France, Bernard-Henri Lévy and André Glucksmann, the reasons for which this situation cannot be sustained any longer. Those who support him are mistaken both in the cause and perhaps also in the man,” Kouchner said.
Rights activists condemned the statements, saying they are very disappointed by what the minister said because he missed to mention the lack of security in Darfur even after the signing of a ceasefire with JEM rebels.
We are very disappointed with the position of the administration of President Sarkozy and his foreign minister Kouchner who praised the Doha process, said Jacky Mamou, the head of Collectif Urgence Darfour, which includes over 80 organizations NGOs.
“Article 1 of the framework agreement signed by the government and JEM which speaks about a cease-fire is already obsolete. The Sudanese army already bombed the Jebel Marra area causing huge casualties among civilians and forced tens of thousands to flee their villages.”
Alluding to the principle of responsibility to protect that the French minister worked to be adopted by the UN General Assembly, Mamou said it is a “beautiful breakthrough,” but Darfur civilians do not benefit from it.
Abdel Wahid Al-Nur refuses to take part in the Doha process, instead asking the Sudanese government to first improve the security situation in Darfur. His troops recently fought against the government forces in the region and many rights activists slammed the silence of the international community over the surge of violence in Jebel Marra.
The rebel leader has been residing in France since more than three years, dating to before the election of President Sarkozy following the failure of the Abuja peace process and his refusal to sign a peace deal inked only by Minni Minnawi in May 2006.
(ST)