Sudan says boycott of Washington workshop was motivated by rebels’ presence
December 4, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government has said it did not participate in a Washington workshop on peace in Darfur in order not to give rebel groups legitimacy.
The workshop agreed on the need to include the other rebel groups in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), and to implement urgently a number of issues (compensation, justice, free hand to the DRA) in order to give the framework document more credibility.
However, rebel representatives during the two-day meeting insisted on a holistic approach saying it is important to negotiate the problem of the whole Sudan in term of governance, power and wealth sharings. The rebels further said they represent all the members of a new alliance of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan rebels who vow to topple the regime.
Speaking after the meeting, Amin Hassan Omer said the government did not take part in the workshop because it “does not want to give these (rebel) movements a legitimacy they miss”.
“We do not want to join a discussing table where rebel movements says they want to overthrow the regime”; he further added “the rebels represent nothing and we will not give them legitimacy by sitting down with them on the same table”.
The meeting was also attended by the US envoy for Sudan, Ambassador Dane F. Smith, U.S. Senior Advisor for Darfur, as well as international envoys to Sudan and regional and international organisation involved in the peace process.
The United Nations said it would put out a new road map for peace in Darfur based on the conclusions of this meeting and what is discussed in El Geneina last October by international envoys as well as consultations with the African Union.
Sissi told reporters after the meeting that the president discussed with him the formation of the DRA and emphasized that the return of the displaced civilians to their villages should be prioritised in the implementation of the DDPD.
He also disclosed that DRA will be announced the next week without elaboration. The regional authority is tasked with the implementation of the Doha document. It is composed of an executive and consultative body.
The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement – Minnin Minnawi (SLM-MM), both members of Kauda alliance, during the workshop stressed their openness to engage a political process with the government saying it is “their preferred means of change”.
The JEM representative briefed the workshop on a 11-point road map for the peace process dealing with Darfur and Sudan issues. The group said they will detail another eight points in the near future dealing with the Sudanese issues.
The members of Kaudi alliance also said they are ready to work with another group (LJM) to improve the situation on the ground in Darfur saying there is no contradiction with their declared goal of national change in the country.
(ST)