Doha Agreement, more specifications and reactions

Position of Second Vice President will not go to Dr. Sese

Dr. Ghaza Salahuddin, Advisor to the President of the Sudan official file Darfur, clarified that the position of Second Vice President, previously held by Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, will not be filled by LJM president Dr. Tijani Sese. The post will go to a National Congress Party (NCP) representative from Darfur. Since the secession of South Sudan, the position of First Deputy President is in the hands of Ali Osman Mohamed Taha (who replaced Salva Kiir Mayardit, now president of South Sudan). Saturday, Taha said in an interview for the Blue Nile Channel, that Dr. Sese will not be given the post of assistant to the president, either, a post previously held by Minni Minawi of the Sudanese Liberation Movement (MM). Minni Minawi obtained this position, after the Abuja Agreement, but gave it up again, when he took a stance against the Doha negotiations.

According to Dr Ghaza Salahuddin, Dr. Sese will, however, chair the regional authority. He added that the Doha document will not be open for renegotiation, noting that a period of three months is stipulated in the Agreement, which gives other movements still an opportunity to join the set agreement.

Qatar wishes to keep active role in Doha Agreement

Mediator Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud from Qatar announced, that Qatar will keep its door open to the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), and other movements. He said that joining can solely be on the basis of the Doha document, as it was approved locally and internationally and globally. Al-Mahmoud exemplified, that the movement of the people of Darfur themselves gave their word, that the world supported them, and the suffering of the people in Darfur can not continue, because of one thing or another. He said that he would stay dedicated to the people in Darfur, and would, therefore, see to the formation of a committee responsible for the implementation an practical application of the Darfur Peace Agreement. He, further, asserted, that Qatar, will preside the follow-up committee, not giving up its role. Al-Mahmoud denied JEM’s allegations, accusing the Doha process to be rigged.

Sheikh of Kalma Camp criticizes UNAMID on Doha process

The Sheikh of Kalma Camp and other leaders of this camp for displaced persons, near Nyala, criticized the Department of Civil Affairs of UNAMID, on how they picked the people, as so called representatives of displaced persons in the Doha process. According to the Sheikh, these people were not true representatives of all the displaced, and this has caused animosity between those that joined the process and the leaders in Kalma camp. Any incidents that may occur between these groups, among the displaced, the Sheikh added, UNAMID is responsible for, as they caused this rift. The Sheikh also said, that the Doha Agreement did not mean anything to the displaced people of Kalma Camp.

EU reaction to Doha Agreement

The European Union welcomed the signing of the Doha Agreement. A statement issued by Catherine Ashton, responsible for EU External Relations, welcomed the agreement signed on July 14 between the Government’s Liberation Movement and Justice and the Government of Sudan, and considered it as a positive step towards a lasting solution to the crisis in Darfur. In the statement , Ashton calls on all parties to the conflict to end hostilities in Darfur, without delay, and urges the armed movements, that did not participate in the process, to join.