Darfur IPDs urge to consider their demands for security and land

August 26, 2009 (LONDON) — Darfur Internally Displaced Persons hailed the ongoing efforts undertaken by the regional and international actors to unify rebel groups but urged to take in account their demand for security and land ownership.

Darfur peace mediator and facilitators from Libya Egypt and the USA have focused their efforts since last June on the reunification of Darfur rebel factions after the deadlock in Doha peace talks between Khartoum and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) while the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur rejected to join the Qatari hosted process.

The reunification attempts aim at forming one rebel delegation to negotiate with the government after the signing of a ceasefire and a roadmap for the peace process before to engage the peace talks.

Hussein Abu Saharti the spokesperson of Darfur IDPs, told Sudan Tribune by telephone they welcome these efforts but are following with concern this process because it does not take in consideration their demand for protection of civilians and evacuation of new settlers who occupy IDPs lands.

“The government must freeze settlement programme and remove new settlers from our lands before to engage the peace process,” he said. “Washington requests the Israeli government to implement such measure in the peace talks with Palestinian authority while Scott Gration, US envoy to Sudan continues to ignore our request,” he added.

He said this resolution had been taken by Darfur camps representatives in a recent meeting and further warned that any peace agreement that does not meet their demands would be rejected by Darfur people.

Sudan’s government and the former rebel SLM of the former rebel leader turned senior presidential assistant Minni Minawi signed a peace deal in May 2006, but it failed to end the conflict.

At the time, the Sudanese government refused the principle of individual compensation and said the issue of land would be tackled after the peace agreement; also it rejected the rebels’ demand for one regional authority to guarantee the land ownership and the regional development.

(ST)