Rebel SLM leader sends road map for peace in Darfur to UN chief

September 20, 2007 (LONDON) — In a letter addressed yesterday to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Abdelwahid Mohamed al-Nur presented a road map comprising three goal-driven phases with the ultimate goal of ending the four year conflict in Darfur.

The United Nations and African Union (AU) leaders will hold on Friday a high-level meeting on Darfur in New York. The meeting is expected to discuss primarily the preparations for the upcoming peace talks scheduled for 27 October in Libya and the deployment of the UN-AU hybrid operation (UNAMID).

In the proposed plan, Abdelwahid underscores that peace negotiations “Conflict Resolution” should start following the achievement of what he called “conflict suspension”. This step encompasses, according to the rebel leader, to stop attacks on civilians, the disarmament of militia and the removal of alien nomads newly resettled by the government in Darfur.

The founder of the rebel SLM suggests the need for confidence building and the sustainable development as final step in the realization of peace in Darfur.

Abdelwahid who refuses to participate in the ongoing political process launched by AU-UN mediation team told the Le Monde yesterday that date and venue of the peace talks should be determined after consultations with the rebel groups.

He also rejected Libya as venue of peace talks because it is affected by the conflict he said; insinuating its lack of impartiality. While the mediation team explained their choice saying Libya can deliver rebels to the talks.

During the last months, Abdelwahid proved his capacity to mobilize Darfur civilians. His partisans stage regular protests in Darfur, yesterday his movement tried to organize a demonstration in the Sudanese capital but the police denied the demand.

A western analyst wondered how the AU-UN mediation team is going to hold the new peace talks without including the main faction of the largest ethnic group in Darfur region. “I fear that pro-Khartoum handling of the peace process would push further groups to decline participation in the talks.” He added.

Different rebel groups denigrated the joint mediation for its lack of consultations.

(ST)

Below the text of the letter send by the Chairman of the Sudan Liberation Movement to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on September 19, 2007:

Sudan Liberation Movement

September, 19, 2007,

Letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon

Dear Mr. Secretary-General,

I would like to take this opportunity to express the sincere appreciation and gratitude of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), to the United Nations and to you personally for the consistent support for ending the suffering of our people in Darfur and the Sudan alt large. Please accept Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration.

Also I would like to extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the French Government and especially to the French Foreign Minster Mr. Bernard Kusher, and to all French people for their worm welcome, hospitality and their endless support for our just cause. Also, I would like to thank all liberal democratic states and societies including the United States, Britain, South Africa, European Union countries and all those who support our just cause during our difficult time.

Mr. Secretary-General,

It is necessary at this point to restate that my movement (SLM) continues to reiterate the commitment to N’Djamena cease-fire agreement in April 2004, and all UN Security Council resolutions on Darfur. Also we have confidence in your periodic assessment of the situation in Darfur and the country as a whole, as well as in your ability to provide the Security Council with realistic and implementable recommendations that promote the search for lasting peace and security to our people in Darfur and the Sudan at large.

Mr. Secretary-General,

I have the pleasure of informing you that the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) has taken a decisive step to reach into peaceful political settlement, consolidate achievement of the successful people’s movement that restored peace, secular democracy, human rights and make our people supreme and equal citizens once and for all. This has set in the motion of SLM’s determination and for real. Yet, in order to do so, we should start any political process with providing security of our people first.

Mr. Secretary-General,

There are severe human rights violations against our people in a daily bases by the Khartoum regime and its janjaweed militias. In your recent statement on the situation in Darfur, with special focus on latest developments, you yourself observed that we were now at a critical juncture. As you correctly described it, a new phase of the United Nations Forces operation in Darfur is about to begin, while at the same time, the escalating conflict in region is threatening to destabilize the entire area once again.

Mr. Secretary-General,

We agree with you. The National Congress Party (NCP) and its janjaweed militias are committing genocide, causing severe human rights violations against our people in Darfur and elsewhere in the country, resettling new people from outside the country in our people land (Hawkers). In this regard, we are not able to sit with those whom killing our people in one table before they stop their inhumane practices against our people. Therefore, we call upon you to reiterate that the Khartoum regime must fulfil its obligations to respect human rights and stop killing of our people, stop resettling people from foreign countries in our people land (Hawkers). Importantly, Khartoum regime must immediately desist from all policies and practices that violate international human rights and humanitarian law or that alter the physical character or demographic composition of the Darfurian people and then we can start any political negotiations.

Mr. Secretary-General,

Darfur crisis is complex, it embedded in deep rooted causes and larger issues, perhaps, require a profound level of attention before scuttling toward any political negotiations. To make it simple, the crux of the Darfur catastrophe divided into two interconnected and overlapping parts. First and the most alarming one is the current human security. There are an immense human destruction such as murder, rape, torture and massive displacement. Second, the problem of citizenship rights, which in principle, is the core source of the human turmoil in Darfur and elsewhere in the Sudan. In respect, there are few political elites holding an obnoxious racial and religious ethos against the majority of citizens. To solve such difficult dilemma, we should deal with the two parts of this disaster respectfully. Therefore, I would like to share with you my thinking on the manner of accomplishing our common objectives on the peaceful political resolution for Darfur conflict and in the Sudan at large. In my view, any peaceful political process should start with the following:

1. Conflict Suspension, which is to stop the ongoing killing of our people and protect them form the Khartoum genociders, disarmament of the janjaweed and other government militias, remove the new settlers form our people land (Hawkers). In our view, these will create a conducive environment for peaceful political settlement and that will started with:

2. Conflict Resolution (negotiations) with the hope to discus the root causes of the problem and obtain a total settlement, and from there we move into the third step which is.

3. Conflict Transformation to build positive relations among our people in Darfur and elsewhere in the Sudan as well as to build durable projects for sustainable development including the extension of public services to make real the restoration of government authority throughout the country, the further enhancement of the operational effectiveness of the security sector, and the effective reintegration of all ex-combatants and over all socio-economic development.

Mr. Secretary-General,

Peace will occur precisely with the immense attentions to security of the people and the resolution of the root causes of the current genocide, punishment of the perpetrators, readdress the injustice of the past, reconstruct positive relations among the people, and create new political order that admire the attraction of our differences, respect human dignity as equal citizens. To that end, without genuine commitment to the security of our people, no conclusion of any peace settlement with the Khartoum regime will consider valid, but it will reserve the material for future conflict and human distraction; and I have no doubt whatsoever that your plan for the peaceful political settlement in Darfur functions will be designed and implemented with the same objective.

(Signed) Abdul Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Alnour,
Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)