Sudan calls on Darfur rebels to embrace contentious Doha framework document

November 23, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – Sudanese government negotiating delegation has called on Darfur rebel groups to engage in discussions to end the 11-year conflict based on the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), but the latter strongly voiced their rejection for the “past failed experiences”.

As part of its efforts to hold a national operation to bring peace and to achieve constitutional reforms in Sudan, the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) organised on Sunday the opening session on Darfur negotiations, which aims to reach a cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access to the civilians and prepare for the comprehensive dialogue process.

The mediation earlier this week suspended the first track between the government and the SPLM-N on the Two Areas, stressing on the need to include further elements reflecting the national character of the process, in line with the decision 456 of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC).

Speaking at the opening session of the talks on the Darfur conflict, the head of the Sudanese government delegation, Amin Hassan Omer, called on the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) to discuss lasting peace in Darfur.

“Our understanding is that this round of talks will focus on the issue of arriving at a cessation of hostilities that will lead immediately and is linked to a comprehensive ceasefire in Darfur as per the DDPD,” said Omer in his short statement at the opening session.

The head of Darfur peace implementation office underlined the support of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) and the UN Security Council (UNSC) to the Doha framework agreement, and called on the two groups to negotiate “a comprehensive ceasefire” that will facilitate their participation in the national dialogue.

In its decisions 456 of 12 September, the AUPSC endorsed a roadmap aiming to discuss the two issues, as well as a cessation of hostilities and security arrangement for the Darfur region and the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

Once the two areas of negotiation achieve their goals, the rebels can join all the political parties in a meeting to take place at the headquarters of the African Union to discuss a framework agreement for national dialogue.

While the government top negotiator in his statement insisted on the support of the African Union and United Nations to the DDPD, the rebel groups stressed that the decision 456 should be considered in this process.

“To achieve sustainable peace in Sudan, we seek a comprehensive and inclusive settlement because years of partial agreements have only prolonged the plight of our people,” said JEM leader Gibril Ibrahim in his speech before the opening session.

“We are not here to repeat these past failed experiences but to engage in a new opportunity to restart the peace process for Darfur and for all of Sudan,” Ibrahim added, without referring to the DDPD.

Minni Minnawi who was not part of the Doha process clearly indicated his rejection to the DDPD saying “the Doha Document is a failed process. Therefore we call on Qatar to join and contribute to the harmonised efforts initiated by the AU, UN and other international stake holders”.

Minnawi further stressed his support for the decision 456, but was keen to say that “Darfur has its own peculiarities that can only be resolved through negotiation and should not be thrown into the illusive process of national dialogue”.

The official delegations of the two rebel groups included the members of the rebel alliance Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) as it was the case in the SPLM-N delegation at the opening session for the talks on the Two Areas.

Also part of the rebel delegation was Merriam al-Mahdi, the deputy head of the National Umma Party (NUP), which is a co-signatory of the Paris Declaration and the agreement on the national dialogue and constitutional process of 5 september.

Speaking to reporters at the end of the opening session SPLM-N chief negotiator Yasir Arman welcomed the start of Darfur track saying that the” era of partial agreements has finished forever”.

He further praised the courage of his allied JEM and SLM-MM for participating in this process in order to reach a comprehensive solution in Sudan.

From her part, al-Mahdi said they participated in this opening session to voice their support for the SRF forces and its demand for a comprehensive solution in Sudan. She further called on the SLM-AW leader, Abdel-Wahid al-Nur, to join the peace process.

When asked about its possible detention when she returns to Khartoum, the NUP vice-president said she does not fear detention, pointing she supports a comprehensive and inclusive process aiming to achieve peace and democratic reforms in Sudan.

The direct talks on Darfur are supposed to start on Monday, while the mechanism is preparing to resume talks on the Two Areas with the SPLM-N.

(ST)