Sudan’s Bashir travels to Qatar for talks on Darfur

October 9, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s President Omer al-Bashir will travel to Qatar today to meet its Emir Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al-Thani and discuss latest developments in the Arab and Sudanese arena, sources told Sudan Tribune.

The Arab emirate of Qatar brokered an agreement in mid-July between the Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), one of the rebel groups from Sudan’s western region of Darfur where an eight year conflict is yet to be resolved.

The sources revealed that al-Bashir intends to discuss with al-Thani issues related to Darfur peace process, particularly how to integrate a breakaway faction from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the peace process.

A group led by Mohamed Bahar former JEM commander and head of its delegation to the Doha talks declared willingness to negotiate with the Sudanese government within the framework of the Doha document for peace in Darfur, a framework document mainly discussed by the government and LJM.

The Doha agreement left a three month window for other rebel groups to join, but JEM demands to open the Doha document for talks while Khartoum says no new talks but only rebels have to sign the framework document and negotiate after that their political participation in the national government and Darfur institutions.

Recently JEM and other factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement aligned with the rebels Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N), which is fighting the government in the country’s border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Sudan Tribune learnt that the government informed JEM’s breakaway faction of Mohamed Bahar that they would have to join LJM instead of demanding new talks. Meanwhile, LJM’s leader Tijani al-Sisis declined the idea.

Bashir appointed Sissi last month at the head of Darfur regional authority which is established in accordance with the Doha peace documents. He is announced to arrive this week in the Sudanese capital.

(ST)