No peace in Darfur without security – UNAMID experts
April 5, 2008 (EL FASHER) — Darfur peacekeeping mission experts on April 2 met to find the best way to restore security and build confidence in the war-torn region in order to create a conducive environment for a lasting peace.
Over 30 UN experts held a two-day closed doors meeting in the capital of North Darfur to discuss enhancing UNAMID’s strategies and performance in the field, in light of its mandated role in support of the implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and subsequent agreements.
Peace and Security experts insisted that any peace agreement cannot be implemented in an atmosphere of distrust and instability. Security and confidence building are prerequisites to creating an environment conducive of positive talks and sustainable reconciliation.
During the meeting the UNAMID official participating in the seminar had to identify functional strategies and tactics to address these issues and identify creative mechanisms for implementation, the joint peacekeeping mission said in a press statement received by Sudan Tribune.
The head of Darfur joint mission, Rodolphe Adada, told the meeting that “part of our task is to identify those areas of the DPA that hold no controversy, are broadly accepted and are seen to be beneficial to the people of Darfur.”
Expert also tackled thematic aspects of the Darfur Peace Agreement, including security arrangements, the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultations, power and wealth sharing. Experts are also expected to explore the challenges UNAMID needs to overcome in order to play its part more effectively.
The splintering of rebel movements, the fact that the Ceasefire agreement is not in effect and the further instability caused by the war in Chad, are among the security challenges to the implementation of the agreement.
In this context, Adada remarked, “Security is, without doubt, the issue of greatest concern to the Darfurians … UNAMID must deliver … on the issue of security… and how we are to approach this challenge.”
The joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission took over in January from a beleaguered AU force to try to stem the violence. But it only has about 9,000 troops and police on the ground, out of a total of the authorized 26,000.
Further Security situation has deteriorated in the region following inter-tribal clashes, rebel infighting and raids of government forces against rebel positions in West Darfur.
The fact that the international community and the peacekeeping mission agree on the need to establish security and stability on the ground goes with the demand for “conflict suspension” presented by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid al-Nur.
In a series of separate meetings held in Geneva on 17 and 18 March between the AU-UN envoys to Darfur, the regional initiative countries, UN Security permanent members and the SLM leader Abdel-Wahid al-Nur, the parties agreed on the need to make security in Darfur a top priority issue before the resumption of peace talks.
(ST)