SLM leader assesses Darfur meeting in Arusha
August 3, 2007 (LONDON) — The rebel leader and founder of the Sudan Liberation Movement, who didn’t travel to Arausha for a rebels meeting, has criticised the purpose of this gathering and the methods adopted by the organizers.
Abdelwahid al-Nur, who requests Darfur civilians’ protection and Khartoum’s observance of the ceasefire before the talks with the Sudanese government, told Sudan Tribune, that there are no divergences between the rebels on the agenda of talks with Khartoum and this meeting of Arusha is just held to satisfy Sudan’s claims about rebels’ fragmentation.
“We have submitted a supplementary document to Aubja mediators and we stated clearly why we reject Abuja agreement we also addressed a letter to the UN Secretary General in this regard and our demands are the same. Nothing changed.”
Al-Nur said the mediators to some extend are advertising thesis disseminated by Khartoum about the existence of so called “19 rebel groups in Darfur”. “The mediators speak about rebels unity, but in fact they encourage rebels’ divisions because they invite any one with a gun, a vehicle and a satellite telephone to attend the talks.”
According to Nur, to hold peace talks you do need viable actors who can discuss and negotiate together and this requires mutual concessions. Also these viable parties are those who are able to implement an agreement on the ground.” He added that they invited “artificial entities” and going to repeat the “same error of Abuja when they thought realizing peace with Minni Minawi.”
The rebel leader exclaimed “What is wrong when we require that Khartoum stops daily killing and continued displaced of innocent civilians in Darfur.” Explaining “It is not me who publish report on attacks and robbery against civilians it’s not me who raise alarm about the growing numbers of IDPs in the camps, it is the UN and the AU forces on the ground.”
“We do respect the ceasefire, because we are serious in our commitment for peace but look to Khartoum and its militia, they violate it every day furthermore; instead of requesting the respect of the ceasefire they sponsored, the mediators advertise for Khartoum claims and want to present us as bad boys.”
Regarding the methods adopted by the AU-UN mediators, al-Nur deplored pressures on field commanders to attend Arusha meeting. He said the mediation team pressurized field commanders telling them they would be subjected to sanctions.
Also, he said mediators are not authorized to determine venue and date for talks of the rebels’ meeting without prior consultations. I’m ashamed for those who are in Arusha because they are just invited in the last minute and transported to sign a document the mediators have already prepared.”
The Abuja peace agreement signed by one rebel faction under intense pressure from the international community that eventually led to a deterioration of the situation in Darfur.
“It is not a manner to bring peace in Darfur. We are concerned and we are the first to consult about all the steps taken in this regard. This was one of the problems of Abuja mediators determine any thing.”
“Remember when they said we have three days to ink the agreement, can you find such measure in another peace talks.”
However, the rebel leader acknowledged deep respect to the UN envoy for Darfur Jan Eliassion who met him more than once.
Al Nur went on to say that he knows very well that some people work to create fictitious Darfur figure to replace him. Adding, he never pretends to such position. “My main concern is to defend Darfur people interests.”
The rebel leader invited the mediators to accomplish their noble mission with impartiality and love of justice. Because if they failed no body will attribute this failure to their lack of capacities or qualifications; other objective causes are behind that, he said.
Abdelwahid al-Nur refuses to engage any talks with Khartoum before a series of measures aiming to protect Darfur civilian population. The most important is to deploy the international troops in Darfur with a clear mandate to protect the civilians in the war-torn region.
On August 1, the UN Security Council adopted unanimously a resolution to deploy up to 19,555 military personnel and 6,432 civilian police, which if deployed would be the world’s largest peacekeeping force. The forces of the hybrid operation are allowed to protect civilians under attack.
(ST)