Sudan, local rebel commanders sign peace deal in Libya
Nov 18, 2006 (TRIPOLI) — A political protocol was signed Saturday 18 November in the Libyan capital by the National Unity Government and some local commanders from the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement towards implementation of Darfur peace agreement.
The signing took place in the presence of the representative of the African Union, Nourredine Mezni. The protocol was signed by the minister of youth and sports, Mohamed Yusuf Abdallah, and the governor of South Darfur State, Al-Hajj Atta al-Manan, for the government party, while Abuelgasim Imam al-Haj signed for Sudan Liberation Movement, and the Secretary of the International Cooperation Affairs at the Libyan People Committee for External Relations, Mohamed al-Tahir Sayala, signed as evidence.
The signatories are some local rebel commanders from South Darfur. Khartoum planed to celebrate the event in Addis Ababa at the AU headquarters but the AU rejected the idea.
The most important items in the protocol include the commitment to the agreements and protocols which were signed by the government and the former rebel Sudan Liberation Movement-Minawi faction and Darfur peace agreement.
The protocol also included the desire of the two parties to reach durable and just peace, development and rehabilitation in Darfur. The protocol affirmed that dialogue is the sole and effective means to reach the lofty aspired goals. The protocol stressed the importance of patching up to the social fabric in Darfur and establishment of a machinery to remove the impacts of war in Darfur.
The two parties also agreed on increase of the total sum of compensations to 100m US dollars. They also agreed on work together to provide security at areas for return of the refugees and displaced people and the collection of weapons.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Advisor Majzoub al-Khalifah has given a speech in which he praised the great role which is being played by the Libyan leader, Muammar Gadhafi, for solution of Darfur crisis with an African framework.
The government delegation has included the State Minister at the Ministry of Finance and a number of parliamentarians and leaders of the native administration in Darfur. Also, the delegation included, Mustafa Tirab as representative of the SLM-Minawi and Abdelrahman Musa for the SLM free will.
(ST)