Darfur IDPs censure Doha peace talks
February 12, 2009 (NYALA) — Darfur displaced disapprove the talks in Doha between the Sudanese government and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) because they want disarmament and security before talks, a IDPs representative said today.
Darfur Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and refugees reached 2.7 million according to the UN estimations. Their majority, from the Fur ethnic, was persecuted and oppressed by the central government during preemptive and retaliatory campaigns.
Sudanese government and JEM rebels begin two days ago preliminary talks in Doha talks aiming to adopt a framework agreement before to start separate peace talks under the sponsorship of the AU-UN mediation and the Qatari government.
“We reject the Doha process because we want before talks security on the ground, the Janjaweed militias disarmed, and the new comers who settled in our land removed,” said Hussein Abu Sharati from Nyala, the capital of South Darfur.
All the rebel groups say they embrace IDPs’ demands and struggle to defend their requests, however most of the IDPs camps demonstrated during the past years their support to Abdel Wahid Al-Nur.
“We believe that Abdel Wahid is the only one who can defend our cause and we decided to denounce the ongoing talks in Doha,” said Abu Sharati. He further added that as IDPs they back the leader who put their interests first.
He added that the separate talks in Doha between Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement seem more oriented toward a political compromise and power sharing than to respond to their demands.
However, JEM officials who are negotiating a framework agreement said they want inclusive talks for the representatives of all the segments of the Darfuri society including the IDPs.
Khalil Ibrahim told Sudan Tribune earlier this week that he would not accept any partial solution because it would be rejected by the people on the ground as it is in the case for the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA).
Abu Sharati said Abdel-Wahid remained committed to the questions of land and individual compensations. He added that the founder of the rebel Sudan liberation Movement fights since the beginning of the conflict in 2003 for the same demands and they trust him more than another.
He also dismissed any tribal background over their support to Al-Nur saying their organization includes people from all the tribes of Darfur who coexist in the camps.
Fighting in Darfur erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen and causing an estimated 300,000 deaths, while forcing some 2.7 million people to flee their homes.
(ST)