Sudan is awaiting outcome of Doha meeting with holdout rebels
May 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese government is awaiting the outcome of a meeting between the Qatari mediator and two rebel leaders over peace in western Sudan region, said the head of Darfur Peace Office Amin Hassan Omer on Sunday.
In statements to the semi-official Sudanese Media Center, Omer hailed the Qatari role for peace in Darfur and expressed their willingness to resume talks pointed that they are awaiting the outcome of the meeting with the two rebel leaders.
He further reiterated the government readiness to reach an agreement to achieve peace and stability in the country. But he alluded to the need to sign the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) saying it represents “an important step for the country’s stability.”
In statements to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, JEM leader said the purpose of their meeting in Doha is to see with the Qatari officials how they can join the mediation brokered by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP).
During the peace talks for a holistic peace and democratic reforms in Sudan last March, the AUHIP proposed a Roadmap Agreement that has been rejected the two groups, National Umma Party and SPLM-N.
The four opposition groups say that this plan for peace legitimatises the dialogue process organized in Khartoum but also excludes important components of the opposition.
However, JEM and SLM-MM demand Qatar’s inclusion in the AUHIP led process in order to cut the ground from under the government’s feet over other issues related to Darfur region.
During the past rounds of talks, the two groups demanded to discuss issues like amount of compensations, landownership, protection of civilians and IDPs in Darfur, but the government has argued such matters should be negotiated in Doha under the DDPD, a framework document they reject.
(ST)