Darfur ceasefire negotiations begin in Addis

The opening sessions of negotiations for cessation of hostilities in Darfur began at the Radisson Hotel in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Thursday.

The Sudanese the government delegation is headed by Dr Amin Hassan Omar, while the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) are represented by Dr Jibril Ibrahim and Arko Minni Minawi.

JEM leader Dr Jibril Ibrahim said that cessation of hostilities and delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy are a priority of the ceasefire as well as other decisions related to the release of detainees and civil liberties.

‘True peace’

He explained that all movements seek to reach a synchronised cessation of hostilities all over the country to avoid veering troops from fighting in one area to another, “so that people would devote time to reaching a comprehensive peace”..

“SLM-MM is ready for dialogue and negotiation to create peace that paves the way for the rest of the Sudan,” leader Minni Minawi said. He stressed the need to benefit from the past mistakes and said they have come with an open heart to reach an agreement.

In a press statement after the opening sessions, Sudanese government negotiator Dr Amin Hassan Omar said that the talks will start with negotiations on the document presented during the Debre Zeyit Resort last November and on the light of the AUHIP roadmap in addition to the indices “that signals the path of the peace process”.

He said that the pending questions between the two sides are very limited and some of them could be vital. But he stressed no question is too difficult to resolve especially given the good climate that prevailed in Debre Zeyit talks and in the meeting of the rebel movements with the AUHIP mediation in Doha.

“We are optimistic that this step will end with the signing of this document and will follow the roadmap so as to continue the peace process on the directives signed by everyone”.

The stoppage of the fighting would be synchronised all over the country as stated in the roadmap, to avoid any forces moving from one area to fight with the another party.