Khartoum shares Darfur strategy with foreign partners, Umma criticize

The government last Thursday presented to its partners in the international community its new strategy to deal with the Darfur issue. The official in charge of the Darfur file, Ghazi Salah Al Din, discussed the strategy with both the U.S. Envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, and the Chairman of the African Elders, Thabo Mbeki, as well as the chief of the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur, Ibrahim Gambari.

The so-called ‘consultative meeting’ took place in Khartoum. According to a statement by Gambari’s staff, the participants also discussed a draft plan called ‘US Security and Stabilization Initiative for Darfur.’The strategy emphasizes development and considers a peace deal with rebels as only part of the plan. Last week in line with the new strategy the finance minister announced nearly US $2 billion in development projects in Darfur.

However, critics have called the new strategy ‘peace through force.’ The Umma Party described the government’s new strategy toward Darfur as a failure and not capable of solving the crisis. Dr. Hussein Omar Osman said in an interview with Radio Dabanga that the government’s strategy toward Darfur is based on erroneous assumptions that do not address the roots of the crisis. He said the strategy ignores the rebel movements. Dr. Osman proposed instead a solution to the Darfur problem centered on key issues concerning the region including power-sharing and wealth-sharing for the inhabitants of the region at the national level and participation in the institution of the presidency, as well as individual compensation for war crimes and collective land rights for the people of Darfur based on the historic hawakeer system.