SLM’s Al-Nur arrives in Kenya for consultations on peace in Darfur

November 22, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Rebel leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur arrived Sunday evening in the Kenyan capital Nairobi days before a consultative meeting on peace in Darfur he plans to hold in Paris.

Speaking from Nairobi, the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) told Sudan Tribune that he came to Nairobi because he needs to conduct wide consultations with many members from his group who cannot take part in the SLM leadership meeting.

“The discussions I have to hold here and in another African capital aim mainly to prepare Paris meeting,” Nur said. “One can understand easily that all the leading members of the Movement cannot be there,” he stressed.

Last week a SLM spokesperson and a IDPs representative told Sudan Tribune that consultations have been kicked off inside Sudan and abroad under the leadership of the SLM’s chairman and urged regional and international support to their efforts for peace in the restive region of Darfur.

The rebel leader who is based in Paris said he will return very soon to the French capital to achieve the ongoing preparations for a gathering that will debate on ways to reach a peaceful settlement to the seven year conflict in Darfur.

Abdel Wahid is the founder the first armed movement, SLM, which rebelled in February 2003. He refused to engage peace talks with the Sudanese government since the failure of Abuja peace talks in May 2006.

The rebel leader says he wants the government to provide security to the civilians in the troubled region by disarming the janjaweed militias and implementing a ceasefire agreement signed in April 2004. He also asks the return of IDPs to their homeland.

Nur, who used to meet regularly with the Joint Chief Mediators, met last July with the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs and pledged to consider the participation of his group in the peace process.

He also holds regular discussions on the need to achieve peace in Darfur with the French officials who recently accepted the organization in Paris of a meeting for the SLM leading figures.

Abdel Wahid said he is “very grateful for the French government’s” support to his efforts for peace in Darfur and allowing him to gather his group in Paris.

“I also call on all those who want to see a genuine and lasting peace in Darfur to support our efforts in this regard,” he said. “We are peace lovers and we want a sustainable peace achieving the demands of Darfur people for security and development,” he stressed.

He further dismissed reports that his trip to Kenya aims only to conclude new alliance with other rebel groups and Minni Minnawi in order to wage war against Khartoum with the support of southern Sudan ruling party, the SPLM.

“Military solution will not end the conflict,” he said.

He continued to say that all his discussions with the head of southern Sudan president and the SPLM leader were only about peace in Darfur.

(ST)