Darfur ceasefire Joint Commission holds first meeting
June 24, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Darfur Joint Commission today at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa held its first meeting since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on the 5th May, 2006.
According to the DPA, the Joint Commission has to take decisive action in relation to ceasefire violations. The meeting was “an important milestone event, following the inaugural session of the Ceasefire Commission on 13th June 2006 in Al-Fasher, Darfur” said the spokes person of the AMIS, Noureddine Mezni.
The meeting was chaired by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission in the Sudan, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and was attended by the representatives of the signatories to the DPA, that is, the Government of the Sudan and the SLM led by Mr. Minni Minawi. Also in attendance were representatives of other members of the Joint Commission, that is the US and EU, as well as observers from the international community including the UN.
The Joint Commission deliberates on reports of the Ceasefire Commission and takes decisive action in relation to ceasefire violations. These actions include publicizing those violations and the names of the parties responsible, recommending prosecution of individuals who violate, and making recommendations to the African Union on appropriate actions, including punitive measures.
Following the Chairperson’s introductory remarks and a consideration of some organizational matters, the meeting concentrated on the nature and extent of participation in the meeting by those who are not signatory to the DPA, a debate instigated by the presence of a representative of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which though not a signatory to the DPA, is bound by the provisions of the N’Djamena Agreement of April 2004 to which it was a party.
In the course of the discussions, which centered on efforts to find a balance between maintaining the integrity of the parties to the DPA and the need to ensure greater inclusivity when considering Darfur ceasefire regimes, it became evident that further consultations and clarification of some political and legal aspects were necessary. The Chairperson, therefore, suspended the meeting to facilitate these consultations to enable the Joint Commission to be reconvened soon after the AU Summit in Banjul.
The 5 May peace deal is rejected by the SLM al-Nur faction and the JEM of Khalil Ibrahim. The two rebel groups say it does not meet crucial demands.
(ST)