Darfur rebels reject proposal to hold unity conference in Libya
October 12, 2009 (PARIS) — A rebel group rejected today a proposal by the US envoy for Sudan to hold a rebel reunification conference in Libya instead of an initial plan to organize it in Darfur.
The rebels said they want to be among their supporters and troops to allow broad participation and to realize a real unity far from foreign influence and interference.
US envoy Scott Gration, by initiating Addis Ababa process, meant to involve more rebel groups in the Doha peace process considering that the Libyan initiative had focused one ethnic group.
“After talks with Libyan foreign minister Moussa Kusa last Thursday, Gration proposed us to change the venue of the conference to Kufra in Libya but we reject this idea,” said Al Hadi Idriss Yahiya, the Political Secretary of the Sudan Liberation Movement led buy Ahmed Abdel Shafi.
Al-Hadi said for them the choice of Kufra, an oasis in Southeastern Libya, does not cope with the resolutions of Addis Ababa, stressing that for them it is crucial to meet inside the “liberated territory”.
The rebel official said the US envoy explained that the security situation in Darfur does not encourage such move, and Kufra would provide a good alternative.
On August 30 some five rebel groups announced from Tripoli the establishment of a new group called Sudan’s Liberation Revolutionary Forces (SLRF). But SLM-Abdel Shafi, SLM Unity and, URF of Idriss Abu Garda and URFF of Yousif Ibrahim Izat refused to join the new group saying unity would be only valid when it is concluded on the field.
Further, Gration agreed during his meeting last week with the Libyan foreign minister to bring together the SLRF and the new group of Addis Ababa in order to form one rebel group before to take part in the peace process in Doha, Qatar.
However Hadi, who asserted that all the other groups of Addis Ababa process refuse Gration’s proposal, said for them the unity process should not be linked to Doha peace talks. He pointed out that unity does not mean participation in the negotiations systematically.
“Doha talks are created by the Sudanese government and JEM (Justice and Equality Movement) so, we are not concerned by this process,” he said.
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DASODIKO
Darfur rebels reject proposal to hold unity conference in Libya
Gration Sccot I think now you began to listen to your mind rather than your heart. Its better that you have chozen a name for your Movement and to hold your conference out of someones’ territories or else. I advice you to hold it in the white house instead of Sirrt in Libia to have legitimacy from the Supperpower America.
But still you are facing a big problem I don’t know if you realize it or not, which is that of, who will lead these groups. These groups defected from their movments because each one of them want to become a leader himself, I will applaud you when you succeed to chose a leader or otherwise you lead the group yourslef to Doha on behalf of the people of Darfur and America.