Ex-Darfur rebels are new blood in Sudan politics, says Mahdi
September 10, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the opposition National Umma Party, Sadiq Al-Mahdi, described Darfur former rebel groups as new political blood in Sudan, calling them to contribute effectively in the political life in order to preserve the national unity.
Peace agreement signatory movements have entered a new phase. They moved from achieving their objectives through rough methods to implement it via soft methods, the former prime minister said on Tuesday.
“Dialogue is the best method to move forward in the way of the renaissance and reconstruction”, he further said in a speech he delivered in a symposium about the political future of former rebel groups signatory of peace agreement with the government.
Sadiq is supportive for a negotiated solution between the government and rebel groups but rejected their call to overthrow the regime by military means. He also disagree with their demand to dissolve the Sudanese army.
Mustafa Tirab, state minister of culture and former rebel, urged to uphold national unity and reject ideas calling to divide of the country
Tirab who joined the national government with Minni Minnawi in 2006 but refused to follow him when he rebelled again in 2010 reiterated they are determined to not hold arms again and to achieve their objective politically.
Al-Mahdi further pointed out to recent surge of tribal fighting in Darfur, adding it is more dangerous than the armed conflict between the government and rebels.
PEACE EFFORTS
As part of its efforts to promote peace in Darfur, the United Nations Union African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) organised a forum in Khartoum gathering official, tribal and prominent figures from the restive region to discuss the root causes of recent tribal conflicts there and to prospect solution to this new factor of insecurity.
Analysts agree that the increase of tribal fighting is motivated by competition among the different tribes regardless of their ethnicity to control water sources and pasture land. They also see that significant amount of weapons in the hands of tribal militias and decline of clashes with rebel groups have contributed to create this situation.
The meeting, which attended 114 participants, was opened by the head of Darfur regional Authority Tijani El-Sissi and the the UNAMID deputy joint special representative, Joseph Mutaboba.
The forum recommended “the disarmament of armed people, the establishment of laws that regulate relations between farmers and pastoralists and the settlement of disputes over land resources”, UNAMID sais in the statement released on Tuesday.
(ST)