SLM rebels reject internal plans for peace in Darfur declare their support to Bassole’s efforts

January 15, 2011 (KHARTOUM ) — Rebels from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur slammed a plan to achieve peace in Darfur the government works to implement jointly with the African Union Panel and UNAMID.

However, the rebel group which is not part of the Doha talks said preparing to join the peace process and announced its support the efforts led by the African Union -UN Joint Chief Mediator Djibril Bassole.

“Peace remains our strategic option. We in the SLM are peace lovers and support efforts for a lasting peace in Darfur. This is why our leader has engaged broad consultations with the leadership of the Movement and political leaders,” said Nimir Abdel Rahman a spokesperson of the rebel group.

However, “we are opposed to plans that the head of the African Panel Thabo Mbeki intends to implement in Darfur,” he further said.

The rebel spokesperson emphasized that the approach of the former South African President of dialogue among Darfurians cannot be implemented in a situation dominated by injustice and violence against civilian.

“We should remember that Mbeki was ineffective and had done nothing to restore peace and democracy to Zimbabwe and other countries where he tried to sell his idea about reconciliation,” he said.

The rebel official went further to say that “Mbeki is not credible” not only for his the failure of his holistic approach but also because of “the close business relations with Bashir’s regime and family”. “How he can broker a just solution while he is doing business with one of the parties? He is not neutral,” he said.

The Sudanese foreign ministry hosted today a meeting chaired by Mbeki with the presence of officials from Sudanese government, UNAMID and the United States. The meeting discussed the Doha peace process and the implementation of the Darfur-Darfur political dialogue process that the head of the AU panel works to hold in the restive region.

The foreign ministry spokesperson said the Sudanese government and UNAMID are working together to create a positive atmosphere to ensure the success of the political process in the region and the Darfur-Darfur conference.

Nimir on the other hand criticized the head of the hybrid peacekeeping force Ibrahim Gambari. He blamed the latter for the lack of independence and neutrality.

“Gambari was supportive to hand six IDPs from Kalma camp to the government and recently he said planning to travel to meet Salva Kiir to discuss the eviction of Darfur rebels from the South Sudan,” he said. “These are only some of many things proving his partiality,” the rebel stressed.

Since one month the leader of the SLM Abdel Wahid Al-Nur left Paris to Nairobi saying he would hold meetings with different components of his Movement but also the IDPs and civil society as well as political leaders.

Nur who refused to take part in Doha forum reviewed his position recently to say they would determine the SLM’s stance from the peace process at a meeting to be held in Paris after the ongoing consultations.

The Sudanese government withdrew its delegation from Doha but said committed to the process as two rebel delegations are there.

The chief mediator Bassole will arrive in Khartoum on Sunday for talks with the Sudanese officials on the proposals submitted to the parties for a peace deal and a cessation of hostilities respectively with the LJM and JEM rebels.

BASSOLE

“We are recognizing the African Union United Nations Joint Mediator Djirbil Bassole” said the SLM spokesperson; adding “We support his efforts to achieve peace in Darfur”.

The rebel statement is the first tangible support to the peace process sponsored by the State of Qatar. Al-Nur said recently he is in regular contact with the mediator.

Djibril Bassole last December said the Doha forum, which includes the rebel groups, civil society and displaced persons besides the government, should not hampered by parallel process aiming to resolve the same conflict.

The Afro-Arab ministerial committee in a meeting held last week in Doha called to make Doha the sole venue for all the efforts to end Darfur conflict.

Mbeki’s plan for internal dialogue among Darfurians is seen by the rebels as a “loophole” for the Sudanese government to avoid responding to their demands posed on the negotiating tables.

US envoy to Sudan Scott Gration declared his support for the Doha forum but also he backs the Sudanese government strategy and Mbeki’s dialogue process.

(ST)