Darfur mediator and rebels to resume consultations within two months
August 25, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Darfur joint peace mediator and delegations of two non signatory rebel groups agreed to meet in Arusha within two months to resume discussions over ways to settle peacefully the 10-year conflict in western Sudan.
The joint chief mediator, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, who is also the head of the joint mission (UNAMID) is organising a consultation meeting with Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi (SLM-M) in northern Tanzania city of Arusha to revitalise effort for peace in Darfur.
The two rebel groups demand to hold a comprehensive process to discuss the problem of the whole Sudan while a third rebel group SLM Abdel Wahid Al-Nur refused to attend the consultations because Chambas did not invite the other members of the rebel coalition Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF).
The mediator said that they understand that Darfur conflict is a manifestation of the Sudanese crisis but point out the need to reach a peace agreement on Darfur before to seek a solution for the national problem .
A day before the conclusion of the meeting, the rebels said the meeting achieved its goals and allowed them to explain their positions and to draw the attention for the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
“The discussions were very constructive. The joint mediator and the representatives of the international community understand our claim for the holistic process, said Najmaldin Mussa Abdal-Kareem, JEM deputy secretary for political affairs, on Sunday.
Abdal-Kareem further said the meeting will wrap up on Monday afternoon and a final communiqué will be issued, as they agreed to meet within two months to continue discussions on how to resume negotiations to end Darfur conflict.
However the leaders of the two rebel groups leader Gibril Ibrahim of JEM and SLM’s Minni Minnawi arrived to Arusha on Sunday evening to meet with the joint mediator and the foreign envoys attending the discussions.
“They arrived just to prove our willingness and seriousness to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict but also our interest for the humanitarian situation in Darfur”, said Abdal-Kareem when asked about the reason of their arrival there at this time.
The rebel official reiterated that the aim of the meeting was to exchange ideas and views and building confidence with the new mediator, but not about holding talks with Khartoum.
He also stressed that the absence of the SLM-AW does not mean any friction in the ranks of the SRF forces, expressing hope they would attend the next meeting with the mediator.
(ST)