Government promotes new Darfur strategy, Umma Party rejects

Dr. Ghazi Salah Al Din, Adviser to the President and the official in charge of the federal government’s Darfur dossier, spoke at a press conference in Khartoum yesterday in support of the government’s new Darfur strategy. The new approach lays less emphasis on a peace deal with rebel forces. The ruling party official said that the strategy put forward by the government to address the Darfur issue is the culmination of different visions, and it takes into account the developments that have occurred in Darfur recently, as well as lessons from past experiences. Ghazi also said that the peace process, which is taking place at Doha, is moving ahead rapidly.

Likewise, Vice President Ali Osman Taha said the strategy must be linked to the demands of the people of Darfur. He said that the political forces are looking for the common denominator of the people of Darfur. He denied that the strategy is aimed at isolating the rebel movements. Their opinions and demands will be considered through negotiations, he said.

In contrast, the Umma Party rejected the national government’s strategy toward Darfur. In an interview with Radio Dabanga, spokeswoman Mariam Al Sadiq Al Mahdi said that the party leadership rejects the strategy as a way to impose peace by force. She said the strategy depends on the political forces that created a rigged election.

The Justice and Equality Movement said the same thing about the strategy, describing it as a strategy of war. The spokesman, Ahmed Hussein Adam, told Radio Dabanga that the government wants to starve the displaced people and prevent aid from reaching them. This is part of their plot to intimidate and dismantle the camps, he said, stressing that the rebel movement is aware of this and will not allow this ‘plot’ to go forward.