Misconceptions and inaccuracies from the ‘All Darfur Stakeholders Conference

By Mahmoud A Suleiman

June 13, 2011 — Political analysts believe that the so-called stakeholders Conference held in the city of Doha in Qatar during the period 27 – 31 May 2011 was a festival celebration that called individuals and groups, most of them affiliated to the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan. The main purpose of the conference was to legitimise the support of the government’s position which calls for the domestication of the settlement of the Darfur issue and an attempt to pass the infamous plan known as the New Strategy in preparation for the disposal of the Doha peace process and the imposition of the status quo and keep away the international community and the International Criminal Court (ICC) and as well as the exclusion of Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and other Darfuri armed movements which do not move in its orbit and place apart the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), Dr Tigani Sessei’s Wing from the rest, given the fact that the latter is ready, pen poised and prepared in advance for signing the draft peace document prepared by the international mediator Djibrill Bassolé. This plot is in accordance with the doctrine of Divide and Rule. Nevertheless, those twists and turns have failed to fool the wit of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the arch-enemy of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan. Some observers, satirically, dubbed the draft Document as a face-saving tool for the National Congress Party (NCP) to protect it from bearing the consequences of the failure to achieve sustainable Peace for the people of Sudan in the Region of Darfur.

The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Arabist-Islamism regime gave the impression to the audience of the event that the draft Peace Document which was presented by the joint UN-AU Mediator to the two rebel groups JEM and LJM was going to be signed after its adoption by the “All Darfur Stakeholders Conference, in a pathetic attempt. This misconception led to the assumption by the conference audience that the draft Document would necessarily become an agreed peace document ready to be signed by the Darfuri rebel movements. That led to the jubilation, and excitement of the deceived spectators whose will had been looted at the Ritz-Carlton, Doha Hotel. Other serious misconceptions in the turn of the events during the so-called All Darfur Stakeholders Conference include the flawed word ‘Framework’ which has been spuriously attached to the Draft Document as “Framework Document” to falsely give the impression that it has been agreed upon by the negotiating partners, the NCP regime and the rebel groups; which is not the case. The truth was that the Draft Document presented by the Joint Mediator to the rebel groups on the 27th April 2011 for a review assumed to serve as ‘Basis’ or foundation for a further negotiated comprehensive sustainable peace talks. The theme prevailed in the Conference was that ‘Partial Peace Agreement’ would not resolve the Darfur issue and a recipe for further escalation of the crisis, Abuja being an vivid and a striking living example in recent memory. The other misconception emanated during and soon after the Conference was the unrealistic perception that the government of the National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum can get rid of the international community of the United Nations(UN), European Union (EU) United States of America (USA), Canada and etc through its failing attempt to impose the infamous self-styled ‘Domestication of Darfur peace’, relying heavily on the African Union (AU) might of Thabo Mbeki’s African Union High Level Panel on Darfur (AUDP). The NCP regime must understand that unless the root causes of the Darfur issue which lie in a history of neglect, marginalisation, inequitable distribution of wealth and power followed by injustice, ethnic cleansing, genocide, displacement and refugee status of its surviving population must be addressed prior to signing any peace deal which needs to be negotiated by the Parties, inclusive, comprehensive, sustainable working to retrieve the rights to the people of Sudan in the region of Darfur. Furthermore, issues of accountability for the atrocities and heinous crimes committed against the defenceless civilians in Darfur and combating impunity must be addressed so that justice can take its course.

It has been learned from the news media that the joint Mediator Djibrill Bassolé and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud were heading to the AU Headquarters in Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa to brief the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union president Jean Ping of the outcome of the Doha Darfur Stakeholders Conference with the view to go ahead with the signing of a peace agreement between the Tigani Sessei faction of rebel group Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) and the NCP government. That step of bilateral agreement between the Government of the Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement signing of a Draft Document as a Peace agreement has been considered by other Darfuri rebel movements as Imposition of a fait accompli and takes out the peace process out from its content. This de facto is rejected outright by the people of Darfur and obviously the real Darfuri armed movements. Accordingly, the Darfur issue has gone back to square one as prospects of peace has been fading away. The government aligned Sudan Media Centre (SMC) quoted Amin Hassan Omer as saying that the Doha document is not negotiable stressing that ‘talks ended with the adoption of the text at the stakeholders’ conference’. Moreover, the National Congress Party regime has also been reported as stating, with an ultimatum, that the rebel group Justice and Equality Movement ( JEM) has a three months ‘courteous good will period’ to conclude a peace agreement before negotiations will be terminated once and for all.

It is important to remember and noteworthy that there are still outstanding issues unresolved between the Governments of the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). Of the not yet done important remaining issues is related to the administrative status of the Darfur region, the security arrangements in terms of the fate of the forces of the movement, the human rights commissions and public freedoms, and as well as to the amounts of seed money appropriate to be paid to the family (the size of which is not defined) when the refugees and displaced persons return to their homes voluntarily. These and other points have not yet been resolved because negotiations between the government of Sudan and the Justice and Equality movement (JEM) did not take place face to face as a result of government’s concerted efforts to remove and exclude the rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) from participation in the Doha peace process and deprive it from its legitimate right to negotiate as much as possible, sometimes through manoeuvring and intransigence at other times. With the knowledge that the Doha Forum was initiated by the Justice and Equality Movement and sacrificed signing the Good Will and Confidence Building Agreement in February 2009 and the Framework Cease-fire Agreement, in February 2010 with the Government of National Congress Party (NCP) for which the World applauded. Nevertheless, the Government of National Congress led by its Chairman who is required for international justice for the heinous crimes he committed against the people of Sudan in Darfur breached both agreements. Analysts said, at the time, that long record of broken agreements and flagrant disregard for basic human rights would never go away as long as the NCP government continues to rule in Sudan.

On the other hand, the Gulf State of Qatar, the owners of the Doha Forum, their patience may be nearing its run out about what is happening now in the peace platform in spite of all effort they exerted, time spent and the money they have paid for the anticipated meaningful success of the outputs of the peace process for complex Darfur crisis that previously defied Abuja forum. It seems that the winds did not blow as the vessels wanted this time and perhaps the Qataris were persuaded to get out with less losses and at least witness one lone faction of the Darfuri movements as predicted, Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) Dr. Tigani Sessei Ateem wing signing a partial ‘peace’ agreement with the Government of Sudan, despite the likelihood of failure in the near future. Thus the State of Qatar seems to have decided to go ahead with the Government of the Sudan’s declared plan which was stated by the infamous Dr. Nafie Ali Nafie, deputy head of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party and assistant of president Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, that there will be no more talks after the adoption of the Draft Peace Document by the Darfur stakeholders’ conference at the Ritz-Carlton Doha Hotel. For the Qataris, something is better than nothing; in pursuant to the Sudanese folk parable (proverb/ adage) that goes on to say “retrieval of a Third of the money and not the demise of it all”. These turn of events as far as Mr. Djibrill Bassolé is concerned, it has been a mission made impossible for him by both the government of Sudan and the African Union in the person of the former South African president and incumbent president of the African Union High Level Panel on Darfur (AUDP), Mr. Thabo Mbeki. Nevertheless, Mr. Djibrill Bassolé has his Foreign Affairs Ministerial job in hand and can go back to home to Ouagadougou the capital of Burkina Faso (former the Upper Volta) to tackle his country’s internal and diplomatic tasks.

Omer al-Bashir’s proxy wars against the people of Sudan are going on unabatedly everywhere; in Darfur, Abyei, South Kordofan (Nuba Mountains) and in the to be soon the Republic of the South Sudan along with the widespread corruption, nepotism and tribalism which have genuinely frustrated everybody. Majority of the Sudanese people got convinced beyond a shred of doubt that the only way for the resolution of Sudanese people’s calamities is the National Congress Party (NCP) regime change through a popular uprising backed by military force. This is not impossible if we look closely at what is happening in the region and in the area around the Sudan especially the Arab region, into which the Arabism-Islamism ruling National Congress Party elements claiming to belonging to. Nevertheless, NCP elements remain steadfastly complacent that their regime is not similar to that former Tunisian President Zain Al Abdeen Bin Ali or that of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt or that of Ali Saleh Abdalla in Yemen or Bashar al-Assad of Syria. Analysts indicate that none of the mentioned regimes an arrest warrant has been issued against its leader by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and no one of them has been held responsible for the death of 300000 people as is the case of the génocidaire fugitive Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir who has confessed that he has killed ‘Only’ 10000. It will not be surprising when the people of Sudan are seen chanting very soon saying: “No to the confiscation of freedoms, no to the killings and the displacements of people in Abyei, South Kordofan, in Darfur and No to confiscation of farmers’ lands in al-Gezira. The logical question to be directed to Omer Hassan Omer al-Bashir is: Why do not you leave Omar al-Bashir, and leave Sudan to its faithful sons and daughters; why don’t leave them to their own devices before it is too late for you and to your t clique of criminals?!

Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is the Deputy Chairman of the General Congress for the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). He can be reached at [email protected]