Three Darfur rebel factions demand to join Addis Ababa process
November 30, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Three rebel factions from Darfur region have urged the head of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) to involve them in the peace process he is mediating .
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army – The 2nd Revolution (SLM/A- SR) chaired by Abu Elgasim Imam, the New Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement ( NEW JEM) of Mansour Arbab Younis and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army for Justice (SLM/A -J) headed by al-Tahir Hajar sent their request on 28 November 2015.
In a letter seen by Sudan Tribune, the three groups told Mbeki that a lasting and suitable peace in Darfur requires to involve all the parties and actors in the region and not only some of them, il reference to the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement – Minni Minnawi.
“We would like to confirm our willingness to meet you for the exchange of views, consultations and cooperation on the success of a comprehensive and sustainable peace process,” said the three rebel leaders
“In this regard ware asking for a meeting as soon as possible to conduct further consultations,” they further stressed.
Imam and Hajar were in Khartoum on 10 October with the Chadian president Idris Deby to attend the opening session of the national dialogue conference and left the country in his airplane.
Usually, the mediation before to include an armed group in the peace process seeks to verify a number of conditions in line with the international law and consults the central government.
The three factions, like the other armed groups in Darfur, say they want a separate process to negotiate Darfur conflict.
During the last round of talks with JEM and SLM-MM, the government refused to a demand by Darfur groups to discuss a political agreement for Darfur region, saying all the region’s issues should be discussed within the dialogue conference.
(ST)