Sudan’s FVP urges unity among Darfurians to achieve peace
July 11, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan’s first vice-president Ali Osman Taha urged Darfur people to join hands to achieve stability and development in their region and to isolate rebel groups opposed to a peace agreement the government signed last year with a former rebel group.
Taha was speaking on Tuesday in El Fasher where Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) holds a conference to mobilise popular support to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) a framework text to end a conflict that started in 2003.
The First Vice President called on the audience composed of tribal leaders, civil society groups and representatives of displaced people, to work together to establish peace in Darfur and to send a strong message to the holdout rebel groups.
He stressed that peace is the only option to settle Darfur crisis.
He said that the conference represents an opportunity for the people of Darfur to unite against attempts to kidnap their plight to serve foreign and external agenda.
He warned the South Sudanese government against supporting rebel groups destabilizing peace implementation in the region to achieve its own ends.
Khartoum accuses Juba of supporting Darfur rebel groups and pushing them to ally the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) which fights the government in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
South Sudanese government which holds talks with the Sudanese over the outstanding issues particularly on border demarcation and Abyei, denies the accusations and says that Khartoum supports rebel militias in unity and Upper Nile states.
The rebel groups which return to Darfur region gradually after a year of absence in South Kordofan issued statements denouncing the “masquerade” saying the DDPD did not bring any change on the ground or stop attack on civilians.
On Wednesday, the Darfur people conference for peace and development, discussed the voluntary return of the IDPs and refugees. It was agreed that the areas where the returnees will be settled should be mapped and a diagram of new villages should be prepared before construction.
Regarding issues related to justice and reconciliation, the conference recommended to give the DRA commission for justice truth and reconciliation the means to achieve its mission and to take into account the traditional justice.
The meeting also stressed on the need to disarm civilians and collect weapons.
The conference is expected to issue its recommendations on Thursday after their adoption at the final session.
(ST)