Darfur rebels to hold consultations before signing peace agreement

March 23, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Justice and Equality Movement of Mohamed Basher (JEM-Bashar) asked to suspend the Doha negotiations for more consultations before to take a decision on the signing of a peace agreement with the Sudanese government.

The rebel group, which broke away in September 2012, holds talks with the Sudanese government on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) since last January.

JEM-Bashar asked to ensure the full implementation of DDPD and to increase funds related to the voluntary return programme. They also demanded to review the number of posts they would get in the national and regional institutions.

Sudan’s chief negotiator state minister Amin Hassan Omer told reporters after his return to Khartoum on Friday that JEM-Bashar demanded hold more consultations before to sign a peace agreement with the government.

He said that the two parties reached a final compromise and submitted it to the mediation which recommended to sign it, he further pointed out.

Qatar plans to hold a donor conference on 7 and 8 April.

The two sides said that they are pressed by the host-country to positively conclude the talks before this date arguing that such outcome would encourage donors to fund recovery and development projects.

The Sudanese minister who is also tasked with the DDPD follow-up implementation mechanism said that JEM-Bashar negotiating team announced its return on Tuesday 26 March.

Mohamed Bashar was in Doha three weeks ago and returned to Darfur via the Chadian capital.

The Liberation and Justice Movement of Tijani Al-Sissi is participating in the talks and they are part of the government delegation.

(ST)