Two rebel groups to meet Darfur mediation in Doha late this month: official
May 8, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Head of Darfur peace implementation office Amin Hassan Omer said the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) led by Minni Minnawi would meet the mediation late this month in Qatar to discuss ways to join the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).
Last Month, leaders of the JEM Girbril Ibrahim and SLM Minni Minnawi discussed with African Union mediation team in Addis Ababa a joint position paper they plan to prepare to hand over to the Qatari deputy prime minister Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud as it was agreed in a previous meeting in Paris last January.
Omer, who made the announcement after a meeting with al-Mahmoud on Sunday, didn’t elaborate on the details of the meeting or whether the Sudanese government would take part in it or not.
The two groups call to open the DDPD for negotiations saying some issues were ignored or not fairly treated, but Khartoum rejects such request.
The Sudanese government proposes they sign the framework document deal stressing it deals with all their claims. After what, they have to discuss security arrangements agreement and join the national dialogue to discuss any further regional or national demands.
Al-Mahmoud arrived in Khartoum on Friday to chair the 11th meeting of the international follow-up committee for the DDPD implementation.
Upon his arrival in the Sudanese capital, al-Mahmoud welcomed any armed group wishing to join the DDPD, saying “our hearts are open to the armed movements and we welcome those who want to join the DDPD as a basis for peace in Darfur”.
Meanwhile, Omer said the 11th meeting would kick off on Monday to discuss the items of the agreement which has been implemented so far.
He pointed to the importance of continuing the work of the international committee besides the commissions and the supervisory committee of the Darfur Development Fund in order to finish the rest of the project.
“The security situation in the region is quite stable and the armed movements didn’t pose any security threat,” he said.
Also, the head of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Tijani al-Sissi on Sunday briefed al-Mahmoud on the items of the DDPD which has been accomplished during the past four years.
Following his meeting with al-Mahmoud, Sissi told reporters that he presented a report to the Qatari minister including items of the DDPD which have been implemented in the various domains including the security arrangements, reconstruction, development and land, reconciliations and the voluntary return.
He considered the progress which has been made so far in Darfur “an appreciated effort by the sincere [friends] who stood by us and on top of them was the state of Qatar”.
Sissi further said the meeting also discussed the agenda of the 11th meeting of the international follow-up committee for the DDPD implementation.
(ST)