Darfur rebel SLM factions hold reunification meeting

Oct 6, 2006 (AL-FASHER) — The non-signatories’ factions of a Darfur rebel Sudan Liberation Movement are holding a meeting in western Sudan to re-unify their groups in order to negotiate with the Sudanese government.

Sudan Liberation Army rebels from different bases come together for a meeting in Tarenjer village, west Darfur, October 11, 2004.

According to a report broadcasted Friday by Radio France International from al-Fasher in North Darfur, delegates from the factions of the SLM, that reject the Darfur Peace Agreement, are holding nowadays a meeting to rebuild the main rebel group as it was before the split Haskanita Congress in October 2005.

The representative of SLM-Abdelwahid faction in the ceasefire commission, Colonel Abdou Abdallah Ismail, told RFI that the meeting started since last Thursday. Abdou did not disclose where the meeting is held.

The factions decided to reunify their group to have one voice in order to negotiate with national unity government or deal with the international community.

It was decided to hold this meeting during last August, but the rapprochement between Chad and the Sudan prevented the Diaspora leaders from reaching Darfur region.

Following the spilt of the movement after Haskanita Congress, the SLM divided in two groups, Minni Minawi faction representing the Zagawha ethnic group, and the Abdelwahid al-Nur group of the largest Darfur ethnic group, Fur, and the Massalit. But, by the end of 2005, Massalit formed another group.

After the signing of the peace deal last May in Abuja, most of the local commanders of Minawi re-joint the other hold out SLM factions. Also, among the Fur, Abdelwahid al-Nur was dismissed by his group at the end of July, nonetheless he is still backed by a minority of his former group.

After the agreement on the framework of the movement, it is expected that another meeting will be held abroad with the participations of Diaspora leadership.

In the past the First Vice President and President of the autonomous government of southern Sudan, Salva Kiir had proposed to host such meeting for the reunification of the SLM.

This move comes at a time where many initiatives are undertaken to organize talks between the Sudanese government and the holdout rebel groups. The neighbouring Egypt, Libya and some western powers are engaged in a competition to host these talks.

The success of the SLM reunification could lead to weaken the National Redemption Front formed on 30 June in Asmara. Actually, some of the NRF member like the Massalit, Khamis Abdalla Abakr; and the many local commanders of Minawi who rejected the DPA will go back to their original movement.

(ST)