Doha Agreement signed: LJM gets concessions after delays during ceremony

The Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement signed a peace agreement on 14 July in the Qatari capital of Doha. Dr. Omar Adam Rahma, official spokesman of the government delegation, stated that the LJM was granted the posts of federal minister, ministers of state and governor of one of the new states in Darfur, and administrators to some provinces in Darfur regions. He added, in an interview with the Sudanese News Agency (SUNA), that a regional authority will monitor developments in Darfur for the following four years, after which a referendum will be held to determine the final status of Darfur states.

The agreement was signed by LJM’s president, Dr. Tijani Sese, and the Sudanese government representative responsible for the Darfur file, Ghazi Salah Ad-Din, along with UN mediators Djibril Bassole, and the Qatari mediator Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, and Professor Ibrahim Gambari for UNAMID.

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa called on all the movements boycotting the peace process to start to participate, so that a sustainable peace could be reached. He also noted that there was much division among the movements, as well as lack of agreement on the final outcome of the agreement.

The Emir of Qatar participated in the ceremony along with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, and the heads of state of Eritrea, Burkina Faso and Chad. Representatives of a number of neighboring countries also participated, as well as representatives of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League.

PCP AND UMMA PARTY OPPOSE DEAL

Other Sudanese political forces had already stated their misgivings before the actual signing. They expect the collapse of the Doha agreement, stating that the agreement will not lead to stability or peace in the region, but will only extend the period of suffering. They consider the agreement to be controversial from outset, as it is individually based and, therefore, non-comprehensive.

The National Umma Party announced that it does not recognize the agreement, arguing it will not bring a positive outcome to the people of Darfur, but instead will only complicate the crisis. Siddig Mohammed Ismail, secretary-general of the Umma Party, told Radio Dabanga that the Doha forum has failed, stressing that the agreement is signed by only two of the many interested parties. He added that the agreement does not address the roots of the Darfur crisis. He also said that failure was likely, because the LJM, co-signing with the government, has no military power anymore due to the defection of LJM’s commander Ali Karbino some months ago.

The Popular Congress Party described the Doha document as vague and unfair. Its secretary-general, Kamal Omar, said that without the participation of all the factions of Darfur, an agreement would not succeed in bringing peace to Darfur. He stated that the regime was just trying to catch its breath, under the false pretext of this agreement. He also asserted that the Darfur crisis cannot be solved through an interim government that will carry out constitutional amendments, without addressing the wider crisis of Sudan.

‘BEFORE THE INK DRIES’

The Sudanese Communist Party expects the Doha agreement to collapse ‘before the ink used to sign the agreement dries’. One of the party’s leaders, Siddig Yusuf, said that fair and permanent peace will not be achieved in the region, with just one faction signing an agreement, and he expects the agreement to follow the Abuja agreement.

The Democratic Unionist Party – Mainstream (UDP-M) stressed that negotiations should continue with other groups after this signing in order for a comprehensive and permanent peace to be reached. A UDP-M party official, responsible for the Darfur file, Ahmed Saad Omar, said that the signing will prove to be the first step, and that it should be followed by consecutive steps, stressing the importance of regaining Darfur as one province.

FIELD COMMANDER KARBINO REJECTS DEAL

Ali Karbino, top commander of the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM-Karbino faction), described the peace agreement as an insult to the people of Darfur. He considered it to be a theatrical piece, directed by the National Congress Party, to cover up the genocide crimes and war crimes and crimes against humanity which it has been committing in the region. In an interview with Radio Dabanga yesterday, Karbino announced his rejection of the agreement and described it as a betrayal to the Darfur cause: a sale, receiving a low price in return, of jobs and salaries. He also said his forces in the field were put on alert in light of the new situation.

Abdul Wahid Mohammed Al Nur, chairman of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), announced that it was time for comprehensive unity between the liberation factions of Darfur, and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the north, under the leadership of Abdul Aziz Elhilu and Malik Agar. He also suggested alliances with other political heads and civil society organizations, for changing the regime, stating that a lot of progress already has been made.