Darfur Conflict: why Mbeki has to soberly reflect on the missing links

By Trayo Ahmed Ali

There is no way to deny the fact that the protracted Darfur conflict has, at certain junctures received sufficient international attention. Certainly the velocity of the humanitarian catastrophe associated with has moved many prominent international personalities of different status and figures of different positions. In that crusading marathon for peaceful settlement, Africa deployed the best of its brains in dealing with the situation including Ambassador Salim Ahmed Salim ,the former Secretary General of the then Organization of African Unity- OAU.

While reckoning all that efforts employed, unfortunately the festive of Abuja 2006 (DPA) and Doha 2011 (DDPD), have changed nothing on the ground but on the contrary the reality remained an ongoing misery after more than a decade, with the circle of violence getting wider and wider.

As all those efforts remained impotent exercise to decode the symbols or read the direction of the sign board the way it should be read, President Mbeki in his latest attempt has to adopt a different methodology that helps him in detecting the missing links, and appreciate considering.

Surely President Thabo Mbeki and his colleague President Abdulsalami Abubaker, for obvious reasons do not lack a required wisdom and right reasoning that are needed in undertaking this mission. Giving them the benefit of doubt is not a point of dispute.

It’s my absolute conviction that certain fundamental factors which are part of the reality should be taken into consideration and certain key issues are to be squarely addressed and adequately fixed.

On top of these are the issues of comprehensive approach (resolution of Darfur conflict within the frame of national settlement), proper identification and fixation of Darfur “peculiarities”, accommodation of entire stakeholders within the level of Darfur conflict settlement (comprehensiveness within comprehensiveness), reasonable sequencing of phases and stages (putting cart before the horse – meaning Peace before Dialogue), strong engagement of the regional and international actors.

Other considerations includes sufficiently empowered mediation, humanitarian considerations as a benchmark for judging the commitment of parties in the conflict to peace, equal treatment of all parties on the basis of transparent consultation (that to avoid the phenomena of slave-master consultation)..etc

President Mbeki, like everybody on the field knows that no other factor propelled the necessity for comprehensive approach than that of Sudan government’s attitudinal habit of “dishonoring agreements”. The habit that reproduces and perpetuates conflict and dictatorship, widen humanitarian crisis and destabilizes regional peace and stability and entertain perpetual dilemma. But it also rewards the NCP government by way of giving chance to maintain its power on the expenses of national unity, freedoms and human rights.

To overcome this piecemeal approach of (compartmentalized mentality) that has now clearly proved its inability, absolute bankruptcy and incredible impotency, as observed by no other person than President Mbeki himself when he cleverly termed the Darfur conflict in his 2009 report as ( Sudan problem in Darfur), the SRF too, informed by pragmatism and thorough analysis of the states of affairs has able to break this vicious cycle by offering a redefined and level headed approach of what has now become nationwide talk of town: “Comprehensive National Solution” approach. Unlike that of the Islamist ill-intended shadowy propaganda approach castigated by Sudan government, the SRF approach does not only entails a more genuine understanding, qualified grip of issues, but most importantly it provides a master road map that defines and classifies issues in terms of their nature, manner, mechanisms of resolution and their sequencing process.

Though guided by that point of reference, it’s however important to bring to attention the fact that SRF was mindful enough to craft an adjustment for the peculiarities of war affected regions within the scheme of comprehensive national settlement. This is why the reasonably synchronized multi-track arrangement absolutely matters. Of course it takes parties cooperation as a necessary prerequisite for arrangement to work but most importantly it requires a mediator’s credible influence. It would be just a matter of stating the obvious when one says, President Mbeki is clever enough to appreciate that, such an unconventional approach, as dictated by the nature of the problem, constitutes the best suitable formula for this hydra-headed problem. The classical, easy going, strait-jacket and quick fix method would definitely not work here.

As such it’s compulsorily crucial and exceptionally important to identify Darfur peculiar issues and distinctive problems that can hardly be twisted within the wider “calabash” of national Dialogue. Internal comprehensive security arrangements, justice and social reconciliation, arrangements for humanitarian issues, returning of IDPs and refugees, transitional arrangements…Etc are all peculiar to Darfur. Such issues are subject of “negotiation”, and would be suicidal to throw them into the “marathon” of National Dialogue uncertainties. That equals to recklessness and insensitivity.

What is of utmost importance for the mediator/moderator is to further streamline crafting the sequence of these multiple tracks in a manner that puts the horse before the Cart. The process can take different shapes (be it parallel, simultaneous or of phasing fashion).

The salient point to be established in this argument and need to be appreciated is that undermining the peculiarities and/ misplacing their sequencing would “fire-back” and erase every efforts made all together and derails the situation back. That needs to be avoided. Thus the right approach to be adopted for reaching any possible and continual success is to “give due recognition” and subsequent consideration to these “peculiarities’’ and of course prioritizing their sequence in a manner that prevents chances of “polling back”.

No party should be scapegoat it or forced to be sacrificial lamb in the process. Such are the challenges President Mbeki and his team are to iron it out.

One crucial issue that should not be left to the “political mode” of the parties but rather duly be treated as a matter of paramount urgency and utmost responsibility is the humanitarian situation in Darfur. Entertaining government’s “up normal” attitude towards humanitarian tragedy in Darfur remains questionable. Addressing this “a-political” issue of humanitarian crisis should be a benchmark of any party’s commitment to peace and security. As a matter of “red line”, any refusal to entertain its discussion, like what the government delegation adopted during the first-round of engagement in Addis should not be considered as a mere “insensitivity” but should be treated as a matter of confessing in committing “war crimes”.

Thus, to sum it up, it’s my firmest view that and for good sake, if President Mbeki and his team adopt considering what is termed in this write up as “missing links” it surely serves in that:
(1) It will equip the mediator/moderator with better tools, position him in a more advantageous and driving position in commanding the quest for the resolution of Darfur case (within the overall national settlement) in a more meaningful, faster and acceptable way. In that sense he finds himself closer to this Sudan’s problematic sign board, makes the mystery more figural and readable and increase his chances of making more accurate examination and prescription.
(2) The Panel will then have stronger say upon the parties and the louder voice that pushes them to adopt more responsive, focused, adherent and obligatory attitudes.

It’s definitely under that kind of circumstances, one could say, the easier it becomes his Heraclius task for finding all round comprehensive, appreciable and lasting peace.

The writer is a leading member in the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi and humanitarian secretary of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front. He is reachable at [email protected]