US-French- German struggle over solving the Sudanese dispute in Darfur
By Mustafa Sirri, Al-Sharq al-Awsat daily newspaper
NAIROBI, Jan 22, 2004 — The call for an immediate cease-fire in Darfur, western Sudan, by John Danforth, the former US senator and US peace envoy to Sudan, has raised questions about the existence of a US plan to sponsor a cease- fire initiative, capitalizing on the peacemaking experience in southern Sudan, which has reached the final stages.
Observers told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that Danforth’s call has raised speculation that Washington wants to intercede in the peacemaking process to keep other international parties, notably France and Germany, from playing any role in the Darfur file. Both France and Germany are currently exerting efforts to end the war and are offering aid to those who suffered as a result of the war in Darfur.
The US administration wants to benefit from its previous experience of stopping the war in southern Sudan and do the same to solve the conflict in western Sudan. This approach is in line with the step-by-step policy which Washington followed in promoting the peace process between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM.] That process began with a cease-fire and an agreement on the Nuba Mountains signed in Geneva on 19 January 2002, and was followed by other agreements on southern Sudan.
Proposals
Informed Western sources told Al-Sharq al-Awsat that international interest focuses on offering humanitarian aid in the Darfur Province, prompting the US call for a cease-fire in the area. There is also a tendency to increase the number of mediators as the brokers do not want the mediation efforts between the Sudanese government and the SPLM to be limited to Chad. These sources disclosed that proposals will be put forward by certain international parties, including the United States, for solving the conflict through arrangements to discuss the sharing of power and resources on the lines of the issues currently being discussed between Khartoum and the SPLM in Naivasha.
Sources close to the discussions noted that Chad will play the same role in the negotiations to solve the conflict in Darfur as that Kenya is currently playing to solve the conflict in southern Sudan over the three provinces. There will be coordination between Chad and mediators from IGAD [Inter-Governmental Agency on Development] in view of their experience in solving the longer conflict in southern Sudan.
These sources said that “preliminary arrangements must be made after a cease-fire is reached. These arrangements must first protect civilians in Darfur from military attacks; second, end the Sudanese government’s support for the armed militias and disarm them; and third, hold to account those responsible for human rights violations against many people in the area.”
They said that there is a need for an independent assessment of the situation in the Darfur area to help address the problems of the displaced there. They noted that recommendations were referred to the United Nations and IGAD members to dispatch observers to help the Chadian mediators increase their effectiveness. The recommendations stressed that the mediation efforts should be neutral and transparent and should play the same role as that the IGAD is currently playing in the Sudanese peace process in Kenya. In addition, it must be stressed that both parties should be committed to the process, especially in terms of protecting human rights and the humanitarian aid being offered by the United Nations.
Refugees
One of the recommendations made by Western groups provides that the UNHCR immediately send a high-level mission to assess the situation of the refugees and displaced people in Chad and in Sudan, and to conduct an investigation into accusations about continued attacks on people and villages in the province by the (Janjawid,) armed Arab tribes and militiamen. These sources said that efforts will be concerted in urging both parties in Darfur to expand the powers of the team currently monitoring the protection of civilians in southern Sudan.
Washington and London are competing against Paris and Berlin in the Darfur issue, particularly in the wake of oil discoveries in Chad, where the US oil company, Chevron, is investing, and where Britain has historical ties with the Darfur Province as it colonized Sudan 48 years ago.
The French and German ambassadors in Khartoum travelled to Darfur Province, and so did the US and British ambassadors. This indicates that these major world powers are vying with each other to solve the conflict. Even though France sent a special envoy to play a role in the current peace process, its role is waning. Germany has no direct link to the current negotiations except through the EU.
Conflict of interest
These sources said that a conflict of interests may complicate the process. They noted that the regional role, especially that played by Egypt and Libya in the peace process, is weak. They said that Sudanese President Umar Hasan al-Bashir’s visit to Cairo may have dealt with the Darfur issue and what role the Egyptian government can play in achieving peace in the province, especially because the Darfur Province has historic ties with the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, where students from Darfur studied and where they were dubbed as the (Darfur lobby.)
Observes believe that the signing of a peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the SPLM will make the mission of achieving peace in Darfur easy, particularly because the SPLM became a partner of the current Sudanese regime. They noted that during his meeting with the delegations of the Sudanese government and the SPLM in Naivasha, US peace envoy Danforth urged them to work together to achieve stability in Darfur.
BBC Monitoring Africa