African Union urges wolrd to strengthen Darfur force

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1. The DPA Joint Commission held its third meeting on 12 November 2006 in Addis Ababa. The meeting was chaired by the Acting Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mrs. Monique Mukaruliza, and was attended by the signatories of the DPA and DoC, the UN, the EU and the US as members, and Canada, Egypt, France the League of Arab States, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK as observers.

2. The meeting considered the report of the Chairperson of the Ceasefire Commission (CFC), Maj Gen LK Aprezi, on ceasefire violations, which also contained proposals on how to improve the Mechanisms for the for the implementation of the ceasefire and security arrangements.

3. On the prevailing security situation in Darfur, the Joint Commission:

a. Welcomed the information by the Force Commander and Chairman of the CFC that the security situation in most part of Darfur was improving;

b. Expressed concerns over the report that the security situation in Northern Darfur, the Sudan – Chad border; and in other places like Graida, Muhajeriya and Tawilla remained tense ;

c. The JC strongly urged all the Parties including the DPA and DOC signatories that continue to violate the ceasefire Agreements, to put an immediate end to such violations. To this end, it called on all the non-signatories of the DPA, to recommit themselves to to an immediate cessation of hostilities and to join the peace process in the interest of the people in Darfur;

d. The JC also expressed strong concern over the report by the Force Commander that he does not have sufficient capacity on the ground to implement all the tasks assigned to AMIS in the DPA. The JC called upon the AU, the UN, the EU and the wider international community to take concrete measures and urgent steps to strengthen AMIS, including through the immediate deployment of two additional battalions with all the capacities to stop the violence in parts of Darfur, which has impacted negatively on the delivery of humanitarian assistance, particularly in Northern Darfur;

e. The JC endorsed the appeals to all the parties in Darfur to extend full support to AMIS and to the Ceasefire Commission to perform its tasks;

f. The JC welcomed the ongoing efforts to bring the DPA non signatories to join the peace process and insisted on the need for the AU to take the lead in coordinating these initiatives. To this end, it called upon the AU Commission to work for an inclusive peace process without giving any veto to hold out groups, or allowing any individual or group in or outside Darfur, to hold the peace process hostage;

g. The JC appealed to the Government of The Sudan and Chad, the AU, Libya and the international community, to ensure the early and scrupulous implementation of the Tripoli Agreement to address the security problems along the Sudan- Chad border.

4. On the cases of violations carried out by the Parties to the conflict, the JC took note of the challenges facing the CFC in the discharge of its responsibility and commended its members for the efforts deployed to dispose a number of the cases brought before them. In this regard, the JC:

a. Noted that out of the recorded 94 cases of ceasefire violation tabled before the last JC meeting on 3 August 2006, 48 could not be investigated for practical reasons and therefore agreed to write them off as recommended by the Chairman of the CFC;

b. Considered eleven reports of investigated violations presented to it by the Chairman of the CFC and agreed to defer them to the next meeting to enable the members to review them. In this regard, it decided that a copy of the investigation report on each of the eleven cases be given to members of the JC;

c. Observed that ceasefire violations, violence against civilians and banditry activities continue to occur in Darfur with impunity and agreed that one way to arrest the situation in addition to the strengthening of AMIS is to ensure that the DPA Mechanisms are made to work effectively.

5. The JC reviewed the problems impeding the smooth functioning of the CFC and the JC. It approved the proposal of the Force Commander for a two chamber CFC, one for the signatories of the DPA and the DOC, and a second one for the non-signatories. The proposal for a possible third Chamber where members of the two chambers could meet whenever the need arose, was left to the discretion of the Force Commander, depending on the situation on the ground.

6. The JC also took note of the GOS position regarding a group of the non signatories that not only opposed the DPA but who has also publicly declared its intent to continue violating the ceasefire including making AMIS personnel and installations legitimate targets. The GOS was insistent that this group cannot be considered as a partner in the peace process. In response, The JC called upon the AU Peace and Security Council to consider measures that could be taken in the event that some non signatories continue to violate the Agreement and obstruct its implementation. The Commission appealed to the AU and the UN to hold such groups accountable in line with previous Decisions/Resolutions on this matter.

7. The JC urged the non-signatories to see the decision to adopt the proposal for a dual Chamber CFC, as an opportunity that they should not overlook, and strongly advised them to take advantage and follow the path of dialogue instead of confrontation.

The JC decided that the next meeting should take place in the first week of December 2006.

Addis Ababa, 12 November 2006