Internal dialogue committee launched in Darfur

The Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation (DIDC) Implementation Committee was launched today in a ceremony hosted by Unamid in North Darfur’s capital El Fasher.  The DIDC mechanism, as stipulated in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), is designed to consolidate peace in Darfur, promote confidence-building and encourage reconciliation as well as unity among the people of Darfur and Sudan in general through popular consultation and dialogue. The DIDC is facilitated by the African Union, Unamid, and the State of Qatar, Unamid announced today (Monday) in a press release.  The Implementation Committee will be the governing and implementing arm of the DIDC process to ensure its ownership by Darfuris. It is an independent body comprising eminent people from Darfur and Sudan, such as representatives of the DDPD parties, leaders from civil society, youth and women’s groups, prominent academics, entrepreneurs, as well as leaders of the displaced populations, the press release stated. The chairman of the Committee and his and the two deputies elected are Siddig Adam Abdallah (Siddig Wada’a), Mohamed Ahmed Haroun, and Suad Adam El Barjo.  The Committee will ensure all appropriate preparations, overseeing and conducting the dialogues and consultations, as well as guaranteeing thorough documentation and analysis of the process and outcomes. It will also ensure that the process remains inclusive, transparent and credible at all times. ‘Conducive conditions’ Apart from the Implementation Committee members, the event was attended by the Assistant to the Sudanese President, Dr Ibrahim Ghandour, AU representative, Ambassador Ibrahim Kamara, Ambassador of Qatar, Rashid Abdel Rahman El Neami, the Chairman of the Darfur Regional Authority Tijani Sese, and Unamid Chief Mohamed Ibn Chambas. “This event marks the beginning of a process that is an important part of our effort to build peace in Darfur, promote confidence-building, encourage reconciliation and unity between communities in Darfur,” Ibn Chambas said.  “The DIDC process will also address issues related to civic responsibility, democratic values, and enhancing time-tested traditional dispute resolution practices.” Unamid’s Head expressed his hope that the DIDC process will become a crucial building-block in the national dialogue. “The DIDC, properly conducted, should be a dress rehearsal for the Darfuris to participate effectively and articulate their concerns in the proposed National Dialogue,” he added, noting that it is therefore “imperative that conducive conditions exist for free expression of opinions without fear of harassment or intimidation throughout the process”. News photo: Unamid Head, Mohamed Ibn Chambas (in robe), greets Assistant to the President, Dr Ibrahim Ghandour at the DIDC ceremony, 26 May 2014 (Albert González Farran/Unamid)