Showing posts with label Yasir Arman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yasir Arman. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Sudan's President Bashir sets Darfur talks deadline - Unity still viable in Sudan, says SPLM leader

SUDAN'S President Omar Al-Bashir has threatened to withdraw his delegation from the Doha peace talks if the Darfur anti-government group fails to reach a consensus by tomorrow, Thursday, 30 December 2010.

"If we reach an agreement tomorrow, praise be to God. But if there is no agreement, we will withdraw our negotiating team and the talks will then be held in Darfur," he told thousands of supporters in the South Darfur capital Nyala.

Al-Bashir added that the government rejects any humanitarian aid to Darfur and will abolish all internally displaced persons’ camps.

"We will fight those who choose to take up arms, but we will sit next to those who want development," he added in a speech broadcast live on state television.

In other news
  • President Bashir said that his government will be the first to recognize southern Sudan’s independence, should the south opt for secession in the referendum scheduled for 9th January 2011.
  • The two CPA partners, the NCP and the SPLM have reached agreements on most of the outstanding post referendum issues which include citizenship, security as well as international agreements.
  • The GOSS Minister for CPA Implementation and the SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum told SRS on Tuesday from Khartoum that he is optimistic that an agreement will be reached on the issue of citizenship before the referendum. Amum said that they have agreed on the principles on protection of northerners and southerners on either side in case of secession.
  • President Bashir has strongly reacted to the call by the national opposition forces for the formation of a national government in case the south secedes. The National coalition of opposition parties on Sunday threatened to remove the ruling National Congress Party from power if it continues to ignore their demand for a constitutional reform and national government.
  • The Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa arrived in Khartoum on Tuesday for a two day visit where he will meet with senior officials in Khartoum and Juba.
  • The League of Arab Nations has donated on Wednesday ten mobile clinics to the Government of southern Sudan to boost health services within the region.
  • The governor of Blue Nile State who is also the deputy chairman of the SPLM Malik Aggar says a united Sudan is still viable. Addressing a joint press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday, Aggar stated that he is still optimistic that Sudan would remain united.
  • The SPLM says it would continue as a political party in the north if the country split in two after the self determination referendum in January.
  • The twenty-second inter-school national sports’ tournaments ended on Wednesday in Khartoum. President Bashir who attended the closing ceremony, said the tournaments have for the 1st time unified students from all over the country.
  • Thousands of people have expressed interest to return to Abyei from the north following a statement made by President Bashir early this week. Mr Bashir announced that northern Sudan will move fully into an Islamic law state after the likely secession of the South in next month’s referendum. The SPLM secretary in Abyei, Chol Changat has attributed the large turnout of returnees from the north to Bashir’s statement.
  • The UN Secretary-General’s Panel on the Referenda in Sudan says it believes that the south 2011 self-determination referendum will be very transparent as the voter registration exercise was peaceful. All materials are in place for voters in South Sudan to cast ballots for self-determination in January, a U.N. election official said.
  • Sudan, Egypt and Libya vowed on Tuesday to respect the outcome of the south’s self determination referendum in January 2011. According to Sudan state radio, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi issued a statement calling for a peaceful, calm, transparent and credible environment that will reflect the will of southern Sudan's people. The statement follows a two hour meeting on Tuesday with President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and GOSS President Salva Kiir in Khartoum.
  • Ahmed Haroun the Governor of South Kordofan state has pledged to provide adequate security to protect internally displaced persons returning to their ancestral areas in Abyei and various parts of south Sudan.
  • In western Sudan, aid continues to flow into makeshift camps outside UNAMID team sites in North and South Darfur, where thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have sought refuge from recent clashes. However distribution to Shangil Tobaya in North Darfur has been momentarily suspended today after new restrictions on movement were put in place. UNAMID is collaborating with local security officials to gain access to all affected areas and ensure the safe delivery of aid.
SOURCES: See reports below.

Sudan's Bashir sets Darfur talks deadline
Source: AFP - www.google.com
Date: Wednesday, 29 December 2010. Excerpt:
(Khartoum) - Sudan will withdraw from the Darfur peace talks in Doha and organise its own negotiations if no agreement with the rebels is reached imminently, President Omar al-Bashir said on Wednesday.

"If we reach an agreement tomorrow, praise be to God. But if there is no agreement, we will withdraw our negotiating team and the talks will then be held in Darfur," he told thousands of supporters in the South Darfur capital Nyala.

"We will fight those who choose to take up arms, but we will sit next to those who want development," he added in a speech broadcast live on state television.

Sudanese officials had earlier set December 31 as the deadline for a Darfur peace accord, with a referendum on independence for the south, now just 11 days away, due to dominate the government's agenda next month.

Bashir's special adviser on Darfur, Ghazi Salaheddine, was expected to arrive in the Qatari capital on Wednesday to push the talks, according to Sudan's official SUNA news agency.

The Khartoum government has for months been trying to secure a comprehensive peace agreement with all Darfur rebel groups, to no avail.

Earlier in December, the government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the most heavily armed group, resumed talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire.

The Liberty and Justice Movement (LJM), an alliance of rebel splinter factions, was expected to finalise a peace deal with Khartoum in mid-December after agreeing a ceasefire in March. But the accord was never signed.

Deadly violence in Sudan's war-torn western region since December 10 has displaced around 32,000 people, according to UN estimates.

"These clashes are deplorable and demonstrate the importance of a ceasefire... If the violence escalates, the general atmosphere in the negotiations will deteriorate," Djibril Bassole, the UN-African Union chief peace negotiator for Darfur, told AFP on Tuesday.

Bassole said he would try to persuade the different parties not to abandon the peace process, even if an agreement was not reached in the coming days.

"I am among those who want a swift and satisfactory solution. But mediation by someone with a stopwatch in his hand is not good mediation," he added. [...]
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Bashir Threatens To Withdraw Government Delegation From Al-Doha Peace Talks
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Wednesday, 29 December 2010. Full copy:
29 December 2010 – (Nyala) – The Sudanese president has threatened to withdraw his delegation from the Doha peace talks if the Darfur anti-government group fails to reach a consensus by 30th December, 2010.

Omar Hassan Al-Bashir said that the negotiations will be transferred to Darfur and dealt with internally other than in foreign nations.

He was addressing a gathering in Nyala town, South Darfur during a signing ceremony of a charter on peaceful and social coexistence amongst Darfur people on Wednesday.

[Omar Al-Bashir]: “We want it to be the end of the rebellion. We thank our brothers in Qatar and the mediators for their patience and mediation. But we are saying this is enough, peace will be here from inside Darfur, because the people of Darfur are the ones who will bring about peace. We have put a deadline till tomorrow (Thursday), if peace is achieved, that is what we want. But if there isn’t an agreement, we will withdraw our delegation from Doha and the negotiations will be done inside Darfur. The people of Darfur are the ones who will determine the present and future of Darfur, but not anybody who is carrying a gun.”

Al-Bashir added that the government rejects any humanitarian aid to Darfur and will abolish all internally displaced persons’ camps.

[Omar Al-Bashir]: “We don’t want humanitarian aid and we don’t want internal displaced persons (IDP) any longer. All of us are citizens, and first class citizens for that matter. No one will be considered as a second or a third class citizen.”

President Al-Bashir warned that the government will use force against any armed group that rejects peaceful resolutions in Darfur.
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Further Reading

President Bashir To Recognize South's Independence Incase Of Separation
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Wednesday, 29 December 2010. Full copy:
29 December 2010 – (Wad Medani) - President Omar al-Bashir said that his government will be the first to recognize southern Sudan’s independence, should the south opt for secession in the referendum scheduled for 9th January 2011.

Al-Bashir’s statement comes a mid preparations for the south Sudan referendum, where southerners will choose to vote for either unity or separation of the Sudan.

Al-Bashir was addressing a gathering on Martyrs Day on Tuesday in Wad-Medani town.

[Omar Al-Bashir]: “We want to tell our people there in the south, that now the ball is in your ground, and the decision is yours, if you vote for unity, you are most welcome and we are brothers. If you vote for separation, you are most welcome as well, and you are welcome as a new neighboring country, so as we co-operate and work together in every thing.”

On Tuesday, the two partners to the CPA, the SPLM and the NCP said they have reached an agreement on most post-referendum contentious issues, and hope that an agreement will be reached on the issue of citizenship before the referendum.
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CPA Partners Agree On Most Post Referendum Issues
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Tuesday, 28 December 2010. Full copy:
28 December 2010 – (Khartoum) - The two CPA partners, the NCP and the SPLM have reached agreements on most of the outstanding post referendum issues which include citizenship, security as well as international agreements.

The GOSS Minister for CPA Implementation and the SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum told SRS on Tuesday from Khartoum that he is optimistic that an agreement will be reached on the issue of citizenship before the referendum.

Amum said that they have agreed on the principles on protection of northerners and southerners on either side in case of secession.

He stressed that the rights of people will be protected and guaranteed and return would be voluntary. He however said only one issue on citizenship has not been agreed upon.

[Pagan Amum]: “The only issue that is left for us is the issue of according those northern Sudanese who are attached to southern Sudan who have been living permanently in southern Sudan, the right to choose between citizenship of southern Sudan and nationality of southern Sudan or retaining the right of Sudanese citizenship in the north. The same also to southern Sudanese who are permanent residents in northern Sudan that need also to be given the right to choose either the citizenship in the north or retaining or assessing citizenship in the new state of southern Sudan. We are hopeful that we will be able to reach agreement on the all the issues of citizenship before the referendum.”

Amum said that the two parties reached an agreement on security issues with the exception of security arrangements for the two areas of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

According to Amum, another unresolved issue pertains to the currency.

[Pagan Amum]: “The last issue is the economic sector. There are progress that we have made in the area of currency where we have agreed that southern and northern Sudan will issue their own currency and that will be coordinated and there is going to be an interim period in which the current Sudanese Pound will continue to be the legal tender for both south and north and we are left with only one item on the issue of currency, it is the question of who pays the cost of recovering the Sudanese money that is in the hands of the people or in the economy in the market. Is it the Central Bank of Sudan or both sides? This is one issue we have not reached an agreement on.”

Amum stressed the importance of the registered people to come out and participate in the forth coming referendum.
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Bashir Strongly Criticizes Opposition Over Demands For National Government
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Tuesday, 28 December 2010. Full copy:
28 December 2010 – (Khartoum) - President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir has strongly reacted to the call by the national opposition forces for the formation of a national government in case the south secedes.

The National coalition of opposition parties on Sunday threatened to remove the ruling National Congress Party from power if it continues to ignore their demand for a constitutional reform and national government.

Bashir was addressing a gathering on Martyrs Day on Tuesday in Wad-Madani town.

[Omar Al-Bashir]: “Let us come to those who talk, they are traders of politics and are known to you all. You have experience with all of them. What did they say? They said they will dismantle our salvation regime, they will remove the regime from power, and they will sweep the salvation. The salvation regime is currently the Sudanese people, it is not the revolution command council, or the national assembly or governments, it is the Sudanese people. When the Sudanese people voted for the symbol of the tree in the last elections, they voted to the salvation and projects of salvation, principles of salvation and vision of salvation, anyone saying he wants to uproot salvation, let him lick his elbow.”

The NCP Information Secretary Fateh Al-Rahman Sheila, said that the regime derives its legitimacy from the National Constitution which was approved by all political forces. He said the opposition political forces are a key part of the National Assembly, which passed the Constitution.
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Arab League SG Visits Sudan
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Tuesday, 28 December 2010. Full copy:
28 December 2010 – (Khartoum) - The Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa is expected to arrive in Khartoum on Tuesday for a two day visit where he will meet with senior officials in Khartoum and Juba.

The purpose of the trip is to review the implementation of the CPA and to get acquainted with preparations for the south Sudan referendum that is due in less than two weeks.

The Arab League Ambassador in Khartoum Mr. Salah Abuhalima spoke to SRS from Khartoum on Tuesday.

[Salah Abuhalima]: “The purpose of the visit is to look into the referendum, and the articles regarding the implementation of the CPA, to make sure that the referendum is carried out in a transparency and peaceful manner, relations between both ruling parties in north and south to be based on common interests and good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence. We will meet many political leaders.”

Arab League Secretary General, Amr Moussa will meet both President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir and GOSS President Salva Kiir among other senior officials.
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GOSS Receives 10 Mobile Clinics From League Of Arab Nations
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Wednesday, 29 December 2010. Excerpt:
(Juba) - The League of Arab Nations has donated on Wednesday ten mobile clinics to the Government of southern Sudan to boost health services within the region.
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Unity Still Viable In Sudan, Says SPLM Leader
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Friday, 24 December 2010. Full copy:
24 December 2010 – (Khartoum) - The governor of Blue Nile State who is also the deputy chairman of the SPLM Malik Aggar says a united Sudan is still viable.

Addressing a joint press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday, Aggar stated that he is still optimistic that Sudan would remain united.

[Malik Aggar]: “I am still dreaming of unity and I will work for unity until I feel that unity is no longer possible. The nature of things may change and the nature of things may change from the person who is calling for it and he is not taking effective part in it. I think that very few of us here will go to the polls in order to determine the destiny of the country but some people in a certain geographical area in the country will be the ones to determine the future of the country, but we hope that there will be unity. If it is so, all of us will rejoice and if it is the reverse then that would mean that the people in a certain geographical area in Sudan have decided their destiny and have chosen their way. We will respect the way they choice regardless of our feeling towards the same.”

Meanwhile, the deputy governor and SPLM Chairman in Southern Kordofan State, Abdul-Aziz Adam Al-Hilu warned that if Southern Sudan secedes, the areas should not be forgotten.

[Abdul-Aziz Al-Hilu]: “There are attempts to sideline the two areas: The Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, but I would like to assure that these two areas are part and parcel of the CPA and parts of the dividends enshrined in the six protocols: power sharing, wealth sharing and security arrangements. There is also a special protocol concerning the two areas due to their special situation. And because of the concern for these areas that was why there is a special protocol for the two areas which gives them special status and gives them rights to recognize their situation. And in case of secession of southern Sudan, this does not mean that the CPA has collapsed completely and that the dividends achieved in it are lost. There were people behind these dividends.”

Mister Al-Hilu also warned that in case of secession, any new constitutional arrangements in northern Sudan should be done with the approval of the people of the two areas.

[Abdul-Aziz Al-Hilu]: “If it happens that the south chooses secession and any constitutional arrangements, they must be presented to the people of the two areas for approval. This is not something that should be done unilaterally or done by one party without consulting the two areas, but we also think that anything of this kind should be subjected to the opinion of all political forces and all political social categories and also other parties.”

Mister Al-Hilu stressed that the popular consultation is the only solution to the problems of the remaining part of the Sudan that will be in northern Sudan.
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SPLM To Operate In The North In Case Of Secession, Says Official
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Thursday, 23 December 2010. Full copy:
23 December 2010 – (Khartoum) - The SPLM says it would continue as a political party in the north if the country split in two after the self determination referendum in January.

The SPLM Deputy Secretary-General for Northern Sector Yasir Arman addressed a press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday.

[Yasir Arman]: “The SPLM is there to stay in northern Sudan and it will remain in northern Sudan for two main reasons: it will work for the realization of a new northern Sudan that enjoys lasting peace and sustainable development and democracy. Two, the SPLM will remain in northern Sudan also for re-unification of Sudan once again on a new basis even if the south seceded.”

Arman also suggested that the National Congress Party should accept rotational presidency in order to convince southern Sudanese to vote for unity at last moment.

[Yasir Arman]: “The NCP has up to twenty-five hours before the referendum on the 9th of January a chance but it must present a new constitutional arrangement to Southern Sudan. It must suggest to the people who would vote on the 9th of January that it would accept rotational presidency and must accept the presence of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army even in case of unity of the Sudan, must accept new wealth sharing arrangements for the people of southern Sudan. This new arrangement is good even if Southerners vote for secession perhaps it would convince some southerners to vote for unity because this gives hope for the re-unification of Sudan in the future.”

Arman also said once a new country is declared in Southern Sudan on the 9th of July next year, the SPLM would want the war in western Sudan’s region of Darfur to stop.

He said the SPLM leadership is ready to lead mediation between northern Sudan and the Darfur factions in order to bring lasting peace in the region.
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Bashir Says Inter-School Tournaments A Prove Of Coexistence
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Thursday, 23 December 2010. Full copy:
(Khartoum) - The twenty-second inter-school national sports’ tournaments ended on Wednesday in Khartoum.

President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir who attended the closing ceremony, said the tournaments have for the 1st time unified students from all over the country.

[Omar Al-Bashir]: “For the first time in Sudan’s history, Sudanese students gathered in the south, since independence. Our people in the south are now happy because they saw their children and they were received well. We thank the people of Wau, Kwajok and Aweil for receiving the students and celebrating with them. It would have been a great shock for the students if our brothers in Khartoum state did not decide to host the games in a short time. This is because this is Khartoum; it is the capital of Sudan, where all the people of Sudan are represented.”

The governor of Khartoum state Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Kiddir said the games unified the people of Sudan.

[Abdulrahman Al-Kidir]: “Regardless of the shortage of time and confusion caused by the cancellation or postponement of the session to unknown date at Wau, regardless of all these, but thanks to God the session completed in well. We are happy that it accomplished its objectives; it achieved the practical unity between different parts of Sudan. Looking at the field I am sure that the whole of Sudan is presented here, therefore this is greatest achieved message that the Sudan is united and by God’s will it will never be separated and nobody will be able to do that.”

The tournaments which started on December 14th had been canceled in both Northern Bahr el-Ghazal and Warrap states.
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Influx Of Returnees To Abyei Attributed To Bashir's Statement
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Thursday, 23 December 2010. Full copy:
23 December 2010 – (Abyei) - Thousands of people have expressed interest to return to Abyei from the north following a statement made by President Bashir early this week.

President Omar Al-Bashir announced that northern Sudan will move fully into an Islamic law state after the likely secession of the South in next month’s referendum.

The SPLM secretary in Abyei, Chol Changat has attributed the large turnout of returnees from the north to Bashir’s statement.

He spoke to SRS on Thursday from Abyei.

[Chol Changat]: “Abyei administration was planning to get 20 thousand but when I was talking yesterday with the organizing committee they said it has reached to 70 thousand. The number has shot up. The reason is that the NCP said that if the south separates from the north then we do not have any ethnic group. It is only going to be sharia law and you only speak in Arabic. This statement by Bashir has made people to come out. To go to the square and say they want to come home. That is the fear. That is what made the number go to 70 thousand people who want to come back.”

The SPLM and the NCP are still deadlocked over who is eligible to vote in the Abyei referendum slowing down the formation of the Abyei Referendum Commission.

Abyei which is supposed to be conducting a referendum concurrently with the south on the 9th of January as it was stipulated in the CPA may not hold the vote.
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UN Panel Optimistic That Referendum Vote Will Be Transparent And Peaceful
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Wednesday, 22 December 2010. Full copy:
22 December 2010 – (Khartoum) - The UN Secretary-General’s Panel on the Referenda in Sudan says it believes that the south 2011 self-determination referendum will be very transparent as the voter registration exercise was peaceful.

The Chairperson of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on the Referenda in Sudan, the former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa addressed a press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday.

[Benjamin Mkapa]: “We have based our assessment first from our own observations because we did visit a couple of registration centers. We have field officers of our own as panel who have reported so. There are observers: international observers as well as domestic observers in both north and south who have attested to the transparency of the process and we have no reason to doubt them, and they have given statements to that effect. Whether this referendum vote will be more transparent than the ones in the elections in April, I can only say that in the south we have certainly been told that they believe that the voting this time round will be more transparent than the April’s voting.”

Mkapa said that the court cases filed against the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission pose real challenges to the process leading to the 9th of January referendum.

[Benjamin Mkapa]: “We are concerned about the court cases naturally and our hope is that they can be concluded so that we can know one way or another whether the 9th of January will hold. We have heard that there are as many as possible; it rises from four to six cases we don’t know. We do know for the fact that the commission has received information about one case where they have been asked to response to the petition and I believe they will do so speedily. Our hope is that the court will settle these cases as urgently as possible so that work can go on.”

Mkapa further assured the press that his panel has not received any report on insecurity in southern Sudan that may delay the conduct of the referendum.

On the Abyei referendum, Mister Mkapa stated that they are concerned about the delayed process and urged everyone involved in the negotiations to do their utmost best to reach a peaceful and permanent settlement acceptable to all.
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Everything in place for South Sudan vote
Source: UPI - www.upi.com
Date: Wednesday, 29 December 2010. Excerpts:
All materials are in place for voters in South Sudan to cast ballots for self-determination in January, a U.N. election official said. [...] U.N. officials delivered more than 4 million ballots to regional voters after severe weather in Europe threatened delays. Ballots were distributed to election officials in Juba, the capital of South Sudan; and in Khartoum, Sudan's capital. Eamon O'Mordha, the deputy director of the U.N. Integrated Referendum and Electoral Division, said in a statement that everything was set for the vote, scheduled to take place for one week starting Jan. 9. "I am happy to say that all the materials and plans are in place to meet the goal of a timely start to the referendum," he said. [...] The ballot features two symbols -- one featuring a single hand for independence and another depicting two hands for unity.
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Egypt And Libya To Respect Outcome Of Self Determination Referendum For South
Source: SRS - Sudan Radio Service - www.sudanradio.org
Date: Wednesday, 22 December 2010. Full copy:
22 December 2010 – (Khartoum) - Sudan, Egypt and Libya vowed on Tuesday to respect the outcome of the south’s self determination referendum in January 2011.

According to Sudan state radio, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi issued a statement calling for a peaceful, calm, transparent and credible environment that will reflect the will of southern Sudan's people.

The statement follows a two hour meeting on Tuesday with President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and GOSS President Salva Kiir in Khartoum.

The adviser to the federal minister of information Rabie Abdullaati spoke to SRS on Tuesday.

[Rabie Abdullaati]: “The presidency assured both the Egyptian leader, Mohamed Hosni Mubarak and the Libyan, Muammar Gaddafi to look into how to support efforts by both partners to reach agreements over pending issues, which include the post referendum issues, concerns of security and peaceful coexistence and issues related to preserving joint and to avoid interfering with regional security whatever the result of the self determination referendum for the people of southern Sudan.”

Both presidents have in the past called for the nation to remain united.
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South Kordofan governor pledges adequate security for returnees
Source: B'Nai Darfur - www.bnaidarfur.org
Author: Sudan Tribune
Date: Wednesday, 29 December 2010. Excerpt:
December 26, 2010 (ABYEI) – Ahmed Haroun the Governor of South Kordofan state has pledged to provide adequate security to protect internally displaced persons returning to their ancestral areas in Abyei and various parts of south Sudan.

Haroun was speaking at the briefing held at Abyei administrative headquarters office with the regions chief administrator, Deng Arop Kuol on December 23.
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Sudan: 29 Dec 2010 - Update on security situation
Source: United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
Reprinted at ReliefWeb - www.reliefweb.int
Date: Wednesday, 29 December 2010. Full copy:
29 December 2010 - Aid continues to flow into makeshift camps outside UNAMID team sites in North and South Darfur, where thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have sought refuge from recent clashes. However distribution to Shangil Tobaya in North Darfur has been momentarily suspended today after new restrictions on movement were put in place. UNAMID is collaborating with local security officials to gain access to all affected areas and ensure the safe delivery of aid.

An assessment mission carried out by UNAMID and several UN aid agencies today met with local authorities and IDP leaders in Khor Abeche and Shaeria in South Darfur, where over 10,000 people have been sheltered. UNAMID peacekeepers today escorted a four-truck humanitarian convoy to Shaeria.

The Mission is also investigating reports of conflict in Kazanjadeed, about 40 km from Shaeria, which has allegedly resulted in thousands of new displacements.

An inter-agency mission to Zamzam camp, outside El Fasher in North Darfur, has observed that around one hundred IDPs, mostly women and children, have arrived from the Shangil Tobaya area. Revised figures put the number of IDPs in and around Shangil Tobaya at 14,000, with an estimated 5,000 at the UNAMID team site.

Tomorrow, UNAMID military, police and civilian peacekeepers are to embark on a four-day verification and confidence-building mission from El Fasher to Shangil Tobaya, Jebel Tin and Dar al-Salam.

Meanwhile, the security situation in all team sites remains tense and UNAMID has taken additional measures to ensure the protection of civilians and increased the frequency and scope of its day and night patrols.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Darfur, Sudan: Security situation update - Kalma leaders threatened over Doha - AU asks UN to suspend ICC arrest warrants for President Bashir

Messrs Bashir, Kiir, Taha

Photo: Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (C), First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit (L) and Vice President Ali Osman Taha sit for a presidency meeting before al-Bashir left for Chad, in Khartoum, Wednesday, 21 July 2010. Chad said on Wednesday it would not arrest al-Bashir who arrived in the country for his first visit to a full member state of the world court which is demanding his arrest for genocide. (Reuters /Mohamed Nureldin Abdallh)

Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir

Photo: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir walks towards his plane at the airport in Khartoum, Wednesday, 21 July 2010 as he prepares to leave for Chad to attend the summit of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States. An international row raged on Thursday over the presence of genocide accused Bashir of Sudan as he took his place among African leaders at a regional summit in Chad. (AFP/Ebrahim Hamid)

Kiir & Bashir

Photo: Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (2nd R) walks with First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit (L) as he prepares to leave for Chad, in Khartoum, Wednesday, 21 July 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallh)

Omar Hassan al-Bashir & Salva Kiir Mayardit

Photo: Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (R) shakes hands with First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit as he prepares to leave for Chad, in Khartoum, Wednesday, 21 July 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallh)

Sudan's First Vice President Salva Kiir

Photo: First Vice President Salva Kiir waits to meet Sudanese opposition leaders in Khartoum Thursday, 22 July 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Bashir to meet opposition leaders
Report from SRS (Sudan Radio Service) - Friday, 23 July 2010:
(Khartoum) – The first Vice President and President of Southern Sudan government, Salva Kiir, met with the leaders of northern opposition parties in Khartoum on Thursday.

The SPLM deputy secretary general-northern section, Yasir Arman, spoke to the press after the meeting.

[Yasir Arman]: “The meeting discussed the invitation by the chairman of the NCP, President al-Bashir, to meet with the political forces on Saturday. After extensive negotiations, the participants agreed that the intended meeting should be a comprehensive meeting in viewing Sudan’s issues. The first and most important issue to be discussed is availing freedoms as an entrance to discuss all the issues facing Sudan. Secondly, the importance of conducting a free and fair referendum as scheduled, and with the support and participation of all political forces in order to have the referendum done in a peaceful manner in case of unity or separation. The meeting also tackled the importance of a comprehensive and just peace in Darfur.”

After the April elections, the leaders of the opposition parties rejected to participate in the current government, claiming that the NCP rigged the elections.
Salva Kiir & Sadiq al-Mahdi

Photo: First Vice President Salva Kiir (L) welcomes leader of the opposition Umma Party and former prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi in Khartoum, Thursday, 22 July 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Salva Kiir & Hassan al-Turabi

Photo: First Vice President Salva Kiir (R) talks to the leader of the Islamic opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) Hassan al-Turabi during a meeting with opposition leaders in Khartoum, Thursday, 22 July 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Bashir's meeting with opposition postponed indefinitely
ACCORDING to a report published by SRS on Monday, 26 July 2010, the meeting between the National opposition parties and the ruling the National Congress Party has been postponed until further notice. The Minister of Information in the national government, Dr. Kamal Obeid, said that the meeting has been postponed to give time for more preparations. Obeid spoke to SRS from Khartoum on Sunday, 25 July 2010. Click here to visit SRS and read full story.

Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir

Photo: Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir steps off the plane from Chad, in Khartoum, Friday, 23 July 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nurdldin Abdallh)

Kiir & Bashir

Photo: Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (R) is welcomed by First Vice President Salva Kiir Mayardit (L) as he steps off the plane from Chad, in Khartoum, Friday, 23 July 2010. (Reuters/Mohamed Nurdldin Abdallh)

Kiir & Bashir

Sudan hails Bashir trip to Chad as 'victory' against ICC
Report from AFP by Guillaume Lavallee (Khartoum), Friday, 23 July 2010 - excerpt:
[...] Bashir arrived in Khartoum at 8:20 pm (1720 GMT) after a two-day visit to Chad seen as a breakthrough after years of proxy warfare between the two countries in Darfur.

He left for Sudan after talks with his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby Itno, whose villa he had stayed at near Ndjamena airport protected by an impressive security detail.

The summit backed Bashir on Thursday, saying it rejected "all accusations" against him, while Deby called on regional leaders to support the peace process in Sudan and help solve the Darfur crisis.

"Darfur continues to be a source of concern. CEN-SAD refutes all accusations against President Bashir. These accusations do not contribute to bringing peace to this part of Sudan," said CEN-SAD chief Mohamed al-Madani al-Azhari.

"We declare our total support and our solidarity to Sudan and its people," he added, speaking to an audience that included 13 heads of state including Bashir.

The ICC, which has no police and relies on states that support it to carry out arrests, in March last year accused the veteran Sudanese leader of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, and issued a further arrest mandate for genocide earlier this month.

Chad was strongly criticised by the European Union and human rights groups for its refusal to arrest Bashir.

On Thursday, EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton had urged Chad to arrest him and hand him over to the court based in The Hague to face the charges.

The United States urged Chad to consider "its responsibilities." [...]
African Union asks United Nations to suspend arrest warrants for al-Bashir
Excerpts from a report by Fred Ojambo for Bloomberg, Tuesday, 27 July 2010; 6:45 PM GMT:
The African Union called for the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir to be suspended while the continental body carries out a probe into alleged genocide in Darfur.

The Hague-based court earlier this month charged al-Bashir with three counts of genocide against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups in the western Sudanese region of Darfur. The court had issued a warrant against al-Bashir in March for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“We have decided to establish our own mechanism,” AU President Bingu wa Mutharika told reporters today in Kampala at the end of a three-day summit of African leaders. “We are asking the United Nations to suspend for the period of 12 months” the arrest warrants against al-Bashir, he said. [...]

The AU questioned whether the United Nations-backed court has the authority to prosecute al-Bashir. Sudan is not a signatory to the 1998 Rome Statute under which the court was established.

“Let us look at the position of the ICC,” Mutharika said. “Do they have a right to try Sudan which is not a member of the ICC? I think it is something we have to look at.”

Although African countries don’t “condone impunity,” they should carry out their own investigations other than relying on reports by a body which is based outside the continent, he said. [...]

To contact the reporter on this story: Fred Ojambo in Kampala at fojambo@bloomberg.net.
FURTHER READING

Briefing on the African Union summit
Click here to read a briefing from U.S. Department of State by Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs - and U.S. Ambassador to the African Union Michael Battle - via Teleconference in Washington, DC, Tuesday, 27 July 2010.

Visit to Darfur by U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan
Click here to read a report at the website of U.S. Department of State entitled 'Visit to Darfur' by U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, Monday, 26 July 2010.

Sudan update - U.S. Department of State, 10 July 2010
Click here to read a report at the website of U.S. Department of State entitled “We Must Not, Will Not Lose Sight of Darfur” by U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, 10 July 2010.

Security situation update
Russian pilot missing in Darfur copter incident‎
Report from Associated Press by Edith M. Lederer, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 - excerpt:
A Russian-owned helicopter that landed in the wrong place in Darfur has been recovered with all the passengers and crew except the Russian pilot, the top international envoy in the volatile Sudanese region said Tuesday.

Ibrahim Gambari, the joint representative of the United Nations and African Union, said peacekeepers from the U.N.-AU force in Darfur are working with the Sudanese government and rebel movements to locate the missing pilot and "see to his release."

The helicopter, which was assigned to the U.N.-AU force, disappeared Monday while transporting three members of the rebel Liberation Justice Movement from peace negotiations with the government in Doha, Qatar, to locations in South Darfur, Gambari said. He spoke with reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council in New York.

Early Tuesday, Gambari said, the peacekeeping force, known as UNAMID, made contact with three of the four crew on the helicopter and an international staff member.

They reported that they were at a Sudanese government location south of Menawashi in South Darfur, he said.

Gambari said a UNAMID helicopter went to the site with another pilot who flew the helicopter, the crew and passengers to safety.

"Apparently, they landed in what was the wrong place, and it seems that it was a place not fully in control of the government," he said.

"The good news is the government took it very seriously and worked with us and we retrieved the helicopter and everybody except the captain," Gambari said.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement earlier Tuesday that four Russians and five Sudanese nationals were aboard the helicopter, which it said had been seized Monday [26 July] by rebels. It said the men were not hurt.

Gambari told the Security Council on Tuesday that there has been "a spike in criminal acts and attacks against U.N. and humanitarian personnel" in Darfur.

In 2009, he said, UNAMID peacekeepers were attacked on 28 occasions resulting in 10 deaths and 26 injuries, and two UNAMID personnel and six humanitarian workers were kidnapped. [...]
Abducted" Russian chopper returns to base: airline
Report from Xinhua, Tuesday, 27 July 2010:
(Moscow) - Russian airline UTair on Tuesday claimed that a helicopter belonging to the company that was previously reported to have been abducted by militants in Sudanese region of Darfur has returned to its permanent base.

"The helicopter with its crew on board returned to its permanent base, the community of Nyala, Sudan, at 7:39 p.m. Moscow time (1539 GMT) on July 27," said the company as quoted by the Interfax news agency.

"No one among the crew members and passengers has been harmed, and the aircraft has not been damaged," it added.

Earlier in the day Russian Foreign Ministry said Darfur militants abducted the helicopter with four Russian crew members and five Sudanese passengers on board on Monday.

The helicopter was on a joint peacekeeping mission of the United Nations and the African Union in Darfur.

However, according to the airline, the Mi-8MTV chopper was seized by Sudanese authorities after landing for a stopover on Sudanese territory.

"UN employees are investigating the incident. The UTair airline, along with the Russian Embassy and UN officials in Sudan, is taking the necessary measures to clarify the situation," said the company. Editor: yan
27 Jul 10 - Security situation update
Report from UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) - Tuesday, 27 July 2010:
27 July 2010 - Two aid workers from the German government’s disaster relief organization, Technisches Hilfswerk (THW), have been released after 35 days in captivity. They were picked up safely today near Kabkabiya, North Darfur, by a UNAMID helicopter and taken to Nyala, South Darfur. Both are reportedly in good health.

In Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, five IDP sheikhs (leaders) who fled to UNAMID’s local police center on 25 July remain in the Mission’s facility at the camp. They had sought refuge after allegedly receiving threats for opposing the Doha negotiations.

Tensions are high in the camp after fighting broke out on 24 July between IDP representatives who attended the latest round of Doha talks and those who did not participate. One person was injured, but no fatalities were reported. Two suspects were also arrested by the Sudanese authorities for the attempted assault of a sheikh who attended the conference.

UNAMID has increased its presence in the camp and is working with community leaders and local authorities to help resolve the situation.
26 Jul 10 - Security situation update
Report from UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) - Monday, 26 July 2010:
26 July 2010 - The situation in Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp is calm but remains tense following events on 24 July when gunmen identifying themselves as members of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid faction (SLA-AW) began shooting indiscriminately, protesting the involvement of several IDP leaders in the Doha talks. Although no fatalities were reported, one person was injured. UNAMID has increased its presence in the camp and is working in collaboration with local authorities and community leaders to defuse tensions.

No further incidents have been reported in the past 24 hours.
Kalma IDP camp leaders threatened over Doha participation
Report from UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) - Sunday, 25 July 2010:
25 July 2010 - Sporadic shooting was heard around midnight yesterday at Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, in South Darfur. According to UNAMID police, gunmen identifying themselves as members of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid faction (SLA-AW) began shooting indiscriminately from about 0020 hours until 0130 hours.

Kalma camp has over 100,000 IDPs and is the second largest in the world after Graida camp in South Darfur. Tensions had been rising in the settlement since the conclusion of the latest round of Doha talks last week, with a number of IDPs claiming that they were not fully represented.

One person sustained a gunshot injury, but no fatalities have been reported. Two suspects have been arrested by the authorities for the attempted assault of a sheikh (tribal leader). Five sheikhs have sought refuge this morning at UNAMID’s nearby location, fearing for their lives. UNAMID peacekeepers have increased their patrols in the area and the Mission is currently negotiating with the camp’s leaders to prevent a further escalation of violence.

Two hundred and fifty representatives of Darfur’s civil society attended the negotiations, which began on 12 July. The 60 representatives of IDPs and refugees had been in Doha, Qatar, since 27 June to attend a separate two-day meeting held the next day aimed at addressing their concerns. All envoys were elected by their constituents after months of deliberation, gatherings and training workshops, many of which were facilitated by UNAMID.
Ardamata IDPs report harassment, seizure of farmland
Report from UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) - Sunday, 25 July 2010:
25 July 2010 - Leaders in Ardamata IDP camp, near El Geneina, West Darfur, have approached UNAMID with reports that a number of residents who left the camps to cultivate crops on their lands were harassed by armed men.

IDPs claimed that they were physically assaulted in four locations less than 10 kilometers outside El Geneina. The armed men reportedly destroyed the seedlings and replanted the farmlands, having claimed them as their own.

With the beginning of the rainy season this month, IDPs all over Darfur have received seeds and farm tools and many felt safe enough to leave the camps regularly to farm their lands. UNAMID brought the matter to the attention of local authorities and will meet with them about helping to prevent similar incidents in the future in order to encourage IDPs to voluntarily return to their regions.
Sudanese singer and Darfur native, Omer Ihsas, performs the final match of the Nelson Mandela Cup, organized by UNAMID in El Fasher, Darfur, western Sudan

Abu Shouk

Photo: Football players from Abu Shouk playing the final match of the Nelson Mandela Cup, organized by UNAMID. (Albert Gonzalez Farran/UNAMID)

Omer Ihsas

Photo: Sudanese singer and Darfur native, Omer Ihsas, performs the final match of the Nelson Mandela Cup, organized by UNAMID in El Fasher. (Albert Gonzalez Farran/UNAMID)

Abu Shouk

Photo: Football players from Abu Shouk playing the final match of the Nelson Mandela Cup, organized by UNAMID. (Albert Gonzalez Farran/UNAMID)

News from SRS (Sudan Radio Service):

Friday, July 16, 2010

Sudan: AU statement re ICC genocide decision - Darfur peace talks in Doha suspended indefinitely

THE African Union (AU), once again, urges the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities and act on the call for the deferral of the process initiated by the ICC against President Omar Hassan Al Bashir in the interest of peace, justice.

I say, people have not done enough learning about Sudan if by now they do not agree with the above or understand and share the African Union's conviction (see communiqué below) that the new and untimely decision by the ICC and its action in general on Sudan are counterproductive, and will complicate the ongoing efforts and increase the risk of instability, with far-reaching consequences for Sudan, the region and Africa as a whole.

Sad to note yesterday's news report (see below) from SRS: "Doha talks suspended indefinitely". However, according to SRS and Voice of America News reports on Thursday (see copy below), a leading member of the Darfur-based Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) says his rebel group will soon send a delegation to hold consultations with southern Sudan’s President Salva Kiir but it is not clear if the NCP will accept Mr Kiir’s mediation.

Quotes of the Day
"The Chairperson of the [African Union] Commission notes that neither the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry, nor the former AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and the AU/UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) upheld the accusation of genocide in Darfur." Source: AU communiqué, 16 July 2010 (see copy below)
“Peace must not be held hostage to a group or movement or one party. Peace efforts must continue." Source: A negotiator for the LJM, Taj eldin Niam, 14 July 2010 (see SRS report below "Doha talks suspended indefinitely")
AUC's concern over genocide decision
  • The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU) expresses deep concern about the new decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I on Sudan and its impact on the ongoing peace processes in Sudan.
  • The AU is of the conviction that this new and untimely decision by the ICC and its action in general on Sudan are counterproductive, and will complicate the ongoing efforts and increase the risk of instability, with far-reaching consequences for Sudan, the region and Africa as a whole.
  • The Chairperson of the AU Commission discussed with the President of the ICC bilateral co-operation.
Source: Two communiqués issued by the AU today (16 July) - see copy below.

Communiqué
From the African Union
Addis Ababa - Friday, 16 July 2010:
The Chairperson of the Commission expresses deep concern about the new decision of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on Sudan and its impact on the ongoing peace processes in Sudan

The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU) has learned of the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which, following an application by the ICC Prosecutor, issued a second warrant of arrest against the Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, on charges of genocide.

This decision, which confirms AUJs previous concerns, came at a particular time marked by progress in the democratic transformation of the Sudan, following the April 2010 general elections, and renewed efforts towards the completion of the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), including the holding of the self-determination referendum in South Sudan and negotiations on post-referendum arrangements, as well as towards the search for a lasting and inclusive political solution to the crisis in Darfur.

The decision also comes at a time when the AU, through the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), is carrying out consultations with the Government of Sudan and other stakeholders on how best to proceed with the implementation of the recommendations put forward by the AU High-Level Panel on Darfur (ALIPD) on justice, reconciliation and healing. These efforts are informed by the AUJs commitment to fighting impunity, in line with its Constitutive Act and other relevant instruments.

The Chairperson of the Commission notes that neither the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry, nor the former AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and the AU/UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) upheld the accusation of genocide in Darfur.

The AU is of the conviction that this new and untimely decision by the ICC and its action in general on Sudan are counterproductive, and will complicate the ongoing efforts and increase the risk of instability, with far-reaching consequences for Sudan, the region and Africa as a whole.

It is against this background that the AU, once again, urges the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities and act on the call for the deferral of the process initiated by the ICC against President Omar Hassan Al Bashir in the interest of peace, justice.
Communiqué
From the African Union
Addis Ababa - Friday, 16 July 2010:
The Chairperson of the Commission Discussed with the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Bilateral Cooperation

During a recent visit to Addis Ababa, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Sang Hyun Song was received by the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, H.E. Dr. Jean Ping.

The two parties exchanged views on ways and means to strengthen cooperation between their respective institutions on the basis of their common value of ending impunity and bring about lasting peace.

In this context, the Chairperson expressed readiness to explore the possibility of establishing an ICC Liaison Office in Addis Ababa, proposal made by the President of the Court during this meeting.
Source: African Union
P. O. Box 3243 Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA
Telephone (251-11) 551 77 00 Fax (251-11) 551 93 21
E-mail: situationroom@africa-union.org, oau-ews@ethionet.et

Hat tip: Making Sense of Sudan, Friday, 16 July 2010 - What Is the Position of the AU on the ICC?
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News from SRS - Sudan Radio Service

Thursday, 15 July 2010

  • 15 July 2010 - (Doha) – The peace talks between the government of the Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement or LJM in Doha is suspended until further notice.

    The government’s head of delegation, Omer Adam Rahama, spoke to Sudan Radio Service from Al-Doha on Wednesday.

    [Omer Adam Rahama]: “Now the negotiation will stop for a certain period, I can’t say until when but it will stop and the objective is to give a chance to those not attending the talks to attend the negotiations. This is to give a chance to mediators and the international community to communicate with the groups who have not participated - particularly the Justice and Equality Movement and Abdulwahid and others so they can join the peace process.”

    A negotiator for the LJM, Taj eldin Niam, suggested that the peace talks continue.

    [Taj eldin Niam]: “Peace must not be held hostage to a group or movement or one party. Peace efforts must continue. But negotiation could be stopped for a temporary period for more consultations. We are not against that. The LJM suggested to the mediators to communicate with Abdulwahid and Khalil to commit and move to Al-Doha. So we don’t have any objection if mediators suspended the negotiation. We can go to the field and other places to disseminate awareness and communicate with refugees and the displaced. We don’t object, the moment they come, we will continue."

    Speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Cairo, JEM official Mansour Arbab Younis said they will not participate in the Doha talks even if it is delayed.

    [Mansour Arbab Younis]: “The movement will not participate in a chaotic forum, an unjust forum like Doha. The government, mediators and the host country are just making public relations in order to prolong the talks, but the movement is now seriously looking for an alternative forum. We may have arrived at a decision and a new forum could be announced soon.”

    Mansour Arbab Younis was speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Cairo on Thursday.

  • 15 July 2010 - (Khartoum) – The first Vice President and the President of the Government of Southern Sudan Salva Kiir will mediate in attempt to convince the two major Darfur anti-government groups to join peace talks with the government.

    The SPLM deputy secretary general -northern sector, Yasir Arman made the statement during a press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday.

    He said that Salva’s move follows an appeal by the AU-UN joint mediator Djibril Bassoli.

    [Yasir Arman]: “ The First Vice President, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan and the Chairman of the SPLM has received an appeal from Djibril Bassole, the chief mediator of the African Union and United Nations for Darfur, and the chairman of the SPLM decided that the SPLM is going to be fully involved in bringing peace to Darfur, and that he is going to contact Doctor Khalil Ibrahim, the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement and Abdulwahid Mohammed Nur, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement and to ask them to send delegations to Juba and that he personally and the SPLM would be involved in trying to strengthen the search for a comprehensive and a just peace in Darfur.”

    The Darfur anti-government group, the Justice and Equality Movement, has welcomed the SPLM’s initiative.

    A senior JEM official, Mansour Arbab Younis, spoke to SRS on Thursday from Cairo.

    [Mansour Arbab Younis]: “Regarding the communication between comrade Salva and the leader of JEM, Dr. Khalil Ibrahim, we think that it is a good move. We will accept the efforts of the SPLM chairman, brother Salva Kiir, and soon the two leaders will meet. We are welcoming this expected meeting.”

    Earlier, the SPLM said that it will distance itself from engaging in Darfur peace talks, accusing the NCP of neglecting the SPLM views and dictating their own vision to solve the conflict.

    JEM suspended talks with the government in May claiming that the government had violated the ceasefire agreement signed between the two parties in February, while Abdulwahid has refused to engage in any peace talks with the government.

    However on Tuesday, Qatar officials and the joint mediation team have decided to suspend the Doha talks between the government and the Liberation Movement for Justice talks.

    The mediators say that in order to reach a comprehensive peace agreement, all parties in Darfur should be involved.


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Sudan Rebel Group Welcomes Salva Kiir's Mediation Role


Voice of America - Peter Clottey - Thursday, 15 July 2010:
A leading member of the Darfur-based Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) says his rebel group will soon send a powerful delegation to hold consultations with south Sudan’s President Salva Kiir.

JEM’s spokesman Ahmed Aden welcomed Mr. Kiir’s decision to act as mediator for an upcoming peace talks between his group, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s dominant National Congress Party (NCP), and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) as well as other Darfur-based rebel groups.

“We welcome it, and I think that President Salva Kiir is in a good position to have [a] successful initiative in this because he has good relations with all the others and all the conflicting parties. We hope that the NCP [will] be wise enough and to have a positive reaction and a positive move to also welcome this move,” he said.

It is however not clear if the NCP will accept Mr. Kiir’s mediation.

Early this year, JEM withdrew from talks with President Bashir’s government after accusing the administration of attacking its positions in Darfur’s western region in the midst of negotiations.

JEM’s chief negotiator Ahmed Tugod said his group was “freezing the talks to protest the government’s cease-fire violation including airstrikes and attacks by ground troops”.

The rebel group also announced its refusal to abide by two previous agreements it signed with the government.

The government is currently holding talks with Justice and Liberty Movement, another Darfur-based rebel group in Qatar’s capital, Doha. The talks are aimed at reaching a peace deal by mid-July.

But, JEM’s spokesman Aden said there would not be peace in Darfur without the full participation of his group.

“There is a deadlock now in Doha. Doha failed completely to help the conflicting parties to reach any kind of agreement. The humanitarian situation on the ground is worsening every day. The NCP and the regime in Khartoum want to [impede] some of the aid workers and make a lot of restrictions on the ground, harassing the IDP’s [internally Displaced People]. So, the situation is very bad… as in 2004 and 2005,” Aden said.

Salva Kiir, who doubles as Sudan’s first vice president, decided to take a personal role in resolving the ongoing Darfur conflict after Djibril Bassole, the joint U.N./African Union mediator asked him to help resolve the crisis.

Mr. Kiir is expected to persuade the rebel groups to join another round of peace talks to resolve the Darfur crisis.

Aden said only a political solution could help resolve the Darfur crisis.

“I think that President Salva Kiir has the ability to help the conflicting parties so that we can find exit strategies to the stalemate and to the deadlock which we are having right now in Darfur and in Sudan in general,” Aden said.