Rebel group boycotts Darfur consultations in Chad

September 20, 2007 (KAMPALA) — A Darfur rebel group said it boycotted N’djamena meeting held Wednesday under the auspices of the UN and the AU because they had not being consulted about its timing and the venue.

Sudan Liberation Movement faction of Ahmed Abdelshafi denied in a statement to Sudan Tribune that it had taken part in N’djamena meeting. Nouri Abdalla, Senior Aide to Ahmed Abdelshafi:said “Abdelshafi is not taking part in the Ndjamena meeting, nor has he sent any one to represent him at that meeting”.

“Our position paper has argued that, the AU-UN Mediation and its institutions have constantly kept us out of the decision making process vis-à-vis the current political process”. He said.

“We have decided not to take part in the Ndjamena meeting, as we have not been consulted about its timing and its venue”.

A Chadian official said that the meeting aimed to harmonise the positions of non signatory movements before the Tripoli peace talks scheduled to start on 27 October.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon is gathering Friday key players in the Darfur conflict at the United Nations headquarters in New York to build up momentum for a final end to the bloodshed in the western Sudanese region.

“Our plan was to discuss our position paper at the High Level Meeting which is scheduled to convene tomorrow in New York between Mr. Ki-Moon and Dr. Konre”. “Early this week we have sent a letter to Mr. Ki-Moon requesting him to allow an SLM delegation to take part in the September 21st meeting in New York, but we haven’t got a reply back yet”. Nouri said.

Already, the rebel group had requested the mediation team, in its position paper, to treat the rebel groups as equal partners in the peace process and not to focus their regards only on the Sudanese government.

(ST)