Peace mediator calls for truce in Darfur

November30, 2009 (PARIS) — The Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur peace process urged today all the parties to the six-year conflict to agree to a cessation of hostilities and to work for the improvement of security on the ground.

Mr Djibrill Bassole, briefed on Monday the United Nation Security Council about the state of the “Darfur peace process and the Doha peace talks, as well as the short and medium term vision of the Mediation.”

His briefing comes ten days after the end of a consultative meeting organized in Doha for Darfur civil society where the participants agreed on the need to reinforce the security in the restive region and affirmed their support for Doha process to end the conflict.

The role of the civil society is seen by the mediation as a necessary ground to build confidence between the members of the social fabric, including backers of government and rebels. Also by its inclusion in the Doha process the mediation aims to mobilize Darfur civilians to support and facilitate the implementation of any future peace agreement.

The Joint African Union United Nations Chief Mediator for Darfur, in his update about the peace process to the 15 members of the UN Security Council, urged the Sudanese government and rebel groups to engage a cessation of hostilities in order to build confidence between the warring parties but also to improve the security and the humanitarian situations.

Bassole stressed in his remarks that the current lack of confidence between the parties “makes for slow progress in the peace talks and for an end to military hostilities.”

Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) signed last February a goodwill deal but the talks are since stopped over Khartoum refusal to improve humanitarian situation or to release over one hundred of JEM fighters detained in Khartoum.

However, the Joint Mediator said his efforts are focused on “two founding movements of Darfur’s rebellion”: JEM and Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur in order to unite their position before the peace talks. He further praised the ongoing efforts to unify the other rebel groups.

The mediator held a series of talks with a delegation from JEM in Doha this month over the peace process. The spokesperson of the rebel movement, Ahmed Hussein Adam told Sudan Tribune at the time that they are no longer insisting on the two clauses that Khartoum refused to implement but stressed the mediation should work to persuade the government to show willingness to honor the signed agreement.

In a parallel step, Bassole held a series of meetings in Paris with Al-Nur, who rejects currently to join the Doha process, to discuss the peace process and the need to provide security for Darfur affected population.

He also called on the Sudanese government to “make the maximum effort to strengthen the credibility of the peace process,” particularly the need for security and socio-economic development.

Following the signing of Darfur Peace Agreement with the ex-rebel Minni Minnawi in May 2006, the former mediation failed to convince Al-Nur and Ibrahim to join the peace deal. Bassole was appointed on June 30, 2008 with a mandate to bring them to the negotiating table and to achieve peace in Darfur.

The former foreign minister of Burkina Faso told the UN Security Council that his approach is adapted to the realities of African countries facing crises.

“It is also inspired by the values and traditional approach to conflict resolution in Africa. This is based upon the mutual confidence and respect of the parties,” he further stressed.

Bassole told the Security Council he would hold soon a conference for the civil society representatives and Darfur rebel groups.

(ST)