Sudan president calls on Darfur peace partner to resume functions

July 23, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir urged his senior presidential Assistant Minni Arcua Minnawi to return and resume his official functions.

Minnawi, who disappeared fro almost two months, told Sudan Tribune earlier this month that he is in Imbro, a town in North Darfur and denied traveling to Chad. His long disappearance has prompted speculations that he will suspend participation in the government.

Al-Bashir speaking from Nyala said that the government will implement what is left of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). He also promised to integrate Minnawi’s forces into the armed forces.

The Sudanese president started a tour of all three major cities in Darfur a week after a request by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an arrest warrant for Al-Bashir.

Two years ago the Sudanese government has signed the DPA with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction led by Minnawi who was appointed as the senior assistant of the Sudanese president in August of the same year.

However, Minnawi’s faction persistently accused the NCP of ignoring the implementation of the DPA.

Al-Bashir’s statements signal a change in tone towards Minnawi since he made complaints public on the progress of DPA.

Sudan presidential adviser Mustafa Ismail criticized Minnawi after his disappearance saying that he “must utilize the dispute resolution mechanisms outlined in the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA)”.

But Minnawi dismissed Ismail’s statements and said the government is not serious about the DPA.

“Those mechanisms were there before I left Khartoum to Darfur. Why was he [Ismail] silent all this time and decided to speak now? I don’t think they want to implement it” he said.

“I spent two years in Khartoum and the Darfur Reconstruction and Development Fund (DRDF) is empty. I think it is high time to pay. The people of Darfur cannot survive the much needed fund” he added.

Last February the UN-AU joint mission in Darfur (UNAMID) confirmed that Khartoum is not remitting payments adding to $700 million to the DRDF.

The DRDF was formed under the terms of the DPA to administer development projects in the region.

The United Nations has said 300,000 people have died and more than 2.2 million been displaced. Khartoum puts the number of dead at 10,000.

(ST)