African mediation maintains SLM’s Nour in spite of latest rebels split
Mar 10, 2006 (ABUJA) — Following the latest split within the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Abdelwahid al-Nour stream, the African Union mediation team said it will not “interfere in the internal problems” of the rebels groups and maintain al-Nour and Minawi as representative of the SLM in the peace talks.
A 19 members group from the leadership of rebel Sudan Liberation Movement announced on 5 March freezing the president of movement while they called for the holding of a general conference of the SLM. Nour “is determined to go it alone to consolidate his dictatorship … in his drive to carry out his narrow-minded personal agenda” said the splinters.
The spokesperson for African Union peace mediators in Abuja, Noureddine Mezni, said in a press statement that the AU Mediation deplored the latest crisis within SLM which has come “at a time when strenuous efforts are being made to focus the minds of the Negotiators in Abuja, on their stated commitment to bring the Abuja Talks to a successful conclusion”.
The AU mediation team justified its decision to go ahead in the talks with the current delegations by referring to “the decision of the AU Peace and Security Council at its 43rd meeting on 22 November 2005”.
The AU Security Council “directed that the Mediation should invite the two Groups in the SLM/A led by Mr. Abdulwahid El Nour and Mr. Minni Minawi, to the 7th Round of the Talks. Until that decision of the AU Peace and Security Council is changed, the Mediation will continue to recognize and deal with the leadership of the Movements as constituted at the beginning of the 7th Round of the Talks.”
Divisions among Darfur rebel groups become a source of concern for the AU mediators and the International community.
The statement said that this new crisis “will not do anything to address that concern or meet the aspirations of the people of Darfur for peace, security and stability in their homeland”.
The inter-fighting among the rebels factions hindered the international community efforts to bring food and security to the suffering displaced in Darfur say observers and aid workers.
Numerous rounds of peace negotiations, often stalled by internal divisions in the rebel movements, have failed to achieve any lasting settlement for the conflict in Darfur, which the United Nations has called the world’s gravest humanitarian crisis.
The rebel SLM had already been split into one faction led by Nur and another by Minni Minnawi. In November, Minnawi organized a congress at which he was elected president, removing Nour as chairman. Since then, both have claimed leadership, and both factions sent representatives to the latest round of peace talks.
(ST)