Higher national committee, Darfur rebels to hold dialogue

KHARTOUM, Mar 02, 2004 (Sudan Tribune) — Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir has approved a direct meeting between armed rebels in Darfur and the Higher National Committee (HNC) for the preparation of peace and co-existence conference in Darfur, the daily Alray al-Amm reported today.

The consultation aims at creating a dialogue with the rebels in the framework of the committee’s efforts and moves to set up an objective dialogue.

The president, according to a report by the chairman of the HNC, Izaldin al-sayyid and its Reporter Salman Suleyman al-Safi, announced that the release of the recently captured rebels will soon be implemented. Speaking at a news conference, Mr al-Sayyid said anyone who surrenders arms will immediately be pardoned and received

Osman Yusuf Kibir, the governor of North Darfur State said he believed that a radical solution to the Darfur problem “will be found only with reinforcing the armed forces and intensifying the military pressure to reach dialogue.”

Al-Safi has regretted the withrwal of Ummah Party from the HNC.

The opposition Ummah Party has decided to withdraw from the HNC in charge of organizing a reconciliation conference in Darfur. The party said in a statement it issued two days ago that its cadres participation in the committee was out of the desire to deal with the issue, pointing out that the committee had not been neutral during its past meetings.

The party indicated that continuing working with the committee would contribute in complicating and exacerbating the problems.