Darfur talks to go ahead despite absence of some rebels: official
November 7, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Talks with Darfur rebel groups on a cessation of hostilities agreement will start with those who take part in the African Union brokered meeting, Sudanese government said on Friday.
The African Union announced that Darfur rebel groups are invited to hold direct talks on 22 November in Addis Ababa with the Sudanese government on a truce followed by security arrangements negotiations before they join the national dialogue process inside the country.
In a parallel track, the SPLM-N will meet the government delegation on 12 November for similar talks aiming to stop the armed conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
However, a leader of one of the two main factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdel Wahid al-Nur announced this week that he would not participate in the process and called to intensify popular and military efforts to break down the regime.
“The negotiations will be launched with those who attend or desire (to join it) from the (rebel) movements,” said the head of Darfur peace implementation office, Amin Hassan Omer, in statement to the semi-official SMC.
Omer further pointed out that the purpose of this process is to create a suitable atmosphere for the rebel participation in the national dialogue process.
He stressed that the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) is the basis for any agreement that can be reached on Darfur issue, adding that no any new venue will be created to replace it.
The Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) is the only group that announced since last October its participation in the upcoming meeting . the Justice and Equality Movement did not yet made public its participation in the process.
The rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Front which include the three rebel groups and the SPLM-N signed with the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) an agreement on the national dialogue and constitutional process providing that a comprehensive political solution “is the ideal option” to end conflicts in Sudan.
“Stopping the war, reaching cessation of hostilities and addressing the humanitarian situation shall be an absolute priority in confidence building measures” before to engage in the national dialogue process, says the agreement which is also endorsed by the national dialogue national assembly.
The national dialogue high committee will be in Addis Ababa for a meeting with the rebel groups in order to convince them to joint the internal process which facilitated by the AUHIP.
(ST)