Darfur’s Nur rejects October talks, describes it as new complication
September 6, 2007 (LONDON) — The leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdelwahid al-Nur has rejected the date of 27 October announced by Sudan and the UN today to start new peace talks to end the 4 year conflict in Darfur in Libya.
Al Nur told Sudan Tribune that “this is a new complication set by the AU-UN mediators and the Sudanese government.” He further said that the date of the talks should be fixed after consultations with all the concerned parties and not just between Khartoum and the mediators.
“How they call us to join the talks from one side and do the contrary to discourage us from participation in the talks, from the other side. I invite people to meditate on this public hypocrisy.” He said
Al- Nur who didn’t attend the three-day meeting of the non-signatory movements organized by the AU-UN mediators in Arusha Tanzania, said “this is a nonsense decision and a repetition of what happened in Abuja.”
SLM leader stressed that Sudan’s commitment to the ceasefire, and deployment of the 26000 troops hybrid force must be before peace talks. Nur considers security of Darfur displaced and civilians has to be ensured first.
According to the conclusions of Arusha meeting “talks should be held between 2-3 moths from now in countries of the regional initiatives or in any other country that the mediation considers suitable in terms of environment and facilities, to ensure the success of the negotiations.”
It was agreed between the rebel groups and the mediators in Arusha to set the venue of the talks by common accord.
Rebel delegates who participated in Arusha told Sudan Tribune that different countries like Eritrea, Egypt besides Libya wanted to host the talks but the preference of the rebels went to South Africa. The mediators were aware of this “secret” choice.
“The idea is that maybe Gaddafi can deliver more movements,” said a senior U.N. official who asked Reuters not to be named, referring to Darfur’s splintered rebel movements.
TALKS WITHOUT ABDELWAHID
Darfur joint mediation plans to hold talks without the participation of the influential rebel leader. They count on the Darfur rebel commanders to attract the maximum of Nur’s commanders.
According to the Associated Press, UN officials, speaking privately, said the talks would go ahead with or without Nur, contending that his control over commanders on the ground is tenuous and predicting those leaders could be enticed into attending the peace conference.
Actually, UN officials convinced the leading commanders in the SLM to attend Arusha consultations meeting for the non-signatory groups. However after their return, Suleiman Marjan told Sudan Tribune that they had been in Arusha not to participate in the consultation but to meet the other SLM faction in a bid to reunite the group and they didn’t participate in the meeting.
(ST)