Darfur displaced scorn UNDP-sponsored conference in Khartoum

The Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association has stated that the displaced people and refugees are not part of the Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation Conference which began at the Corinthia Hotel in Khartoum on Monday in consultation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Hussein Abusharati, the spokesman for the Association told Radio Dabanga from Kalma camp in South Darfur “The displaced people are not part of the ongoing dialogue, they have not been consulted.” He described the dialogue as “superfluous and imaginary similar to the national dialogue which has offered nothing to Sudan”.

He stressed that the displaced people are for security, stability, stopping bloodshed, sexual violence against women first, entry of humanitarian organisations to provide aid to the needy and return of refugees and displaced persons to their villages, he added, only then can we begin thinking about holding of a Darfur- Darfur dialogue.

According to the organisers of the conference, the next phase of the consultative process will include consultations with the Darfuris overseas and the displaced people to be followed by deliberations at the state and regional levels.

The Chairman of the conference, Siddig Wadaa, said “The Darfur-Darfur dialogue process is the property of all the Darfuris who have participated in the consultations to communicate the voice and concerns of the Darfuris to the world, however, we consider that only the beginning the dialogue is completed and there is still more to be done.

A report of the conference noted that all the recommendations of the Darfur-Darfur dialogue and consultation at the local level have been compiled in preparation for consultations on dialogue at the state and refugee levels in the countries of the Diaspora for their presentation at the Darfur conference next year. The dialogue and consultation conference was held on Monday at the Corinthia Hotel in Khartoum with the participation of Unamid, the European Union and Qatar.