Darfur special status is needed to sign peace agreement- LJM rebels

December 7, 2010 (DOHA) — Darfur rebels reaffirmed today their keenness to reach a peace agreement before the end of month but stressed they will not sign this deal if Khartoum does not accept the establishment of the one authority in the province.

The mediation held today a Technical Workshop on Darfur attended by Sudan’s envoys from the African Union, Arab league, OIC, EU, UN and other international partners including Austria, France, Germany, Japan, and Netherlands.

The meeting is part of a series of consultations conducted by the mediation before to propose a final peace agreement for signing between the Sudanese government and the rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) on December 19.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune after the end of the one-day meeting, Tadjadine Bechir Niam, LJM top negotiator, said his group is committed to meet the deadline set by the mediation for the signing of the peace agreement.

Asked whether they are determined to sign a peace deal with the government even if Khartoum rejects to accord this special status for Darfur, Niam said “the issue of the one region in Darfur is crucial for us because it is the expression of all the Darfurians will”.

The rebel official hinted that Khartoum fears the special status will push to dismantle the country after the expected separation of southern Sudan. He however, said that Darfurians have no intention to splint of demand self-determination but consider vital the existence of a regional authority to coordinate and decide on projects and issues of common interests.

Darfur rebel groups agree all on this demand.

The two parties failed during the direct talks and also at the level of the steering committee with the participation of the mediation to agree on the status of the western Sudan province. The mediation further discussed the two rebel demands — the greater Darfur, and the position of vice-president — with President Omer Al-Bashir twice in Doha and Khartoum.

The Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassole, in remarks he delivered at the workshop urged to encourage the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement leb Abdel Wahid Al-Nur to resume or to join the peace process.

Bassole stressed the need to include all the parties in the process to ensure a successful implementation of the peace deal with the fundamental support of the civil society.

A delegation of JEM rebels is still in Doha discussing with the Joint Chief Mediator ways to resume the direct negotiations with the Sudanese government.

The rebel group suspended its participation in the peace process last May accusing the government of breaching a truce they concluded but also blamed the mediators for accepting to hold parallel talks between the government and LJM.

The head of Darfur peacekeeping mission Ibrahim Gambari, in a speech to the meeting, reiterated the UNAMID support to the peace process.

The LJM rebel official said Gambari pledged during a meeting held on the sidelines of the workshop, that UNAMID will speed up the necessary steps to establish the ceasefire commission which is supposed to monitor the ceasefire agreement signed since last March.

LJM blames the hybrid peacekeeping mission for delaying the implementation of security arrangements agreement in March deal. The UNAMID is tasked of establishing the ceasefire commission and the joint monitoring mechanism.

(ST)