Government of South Sudan - Europe Mission

UN envoy and AU envoy to discuss darfur process with SPLM
Tue, January 22 2008

By Nybol Deng [Juba, South Sudan]

UN envoy Jan Eliasson and Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim the AU envoy paid a visit to South Sudan Juba on 17th January 2007 with the purpose of meeting with the President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the SPLM to disscuss issues pending on the Darfur process. Arriving from a three day visit to Darfur Dr. Salim mentioned they had met with the different movements such as the SLA unity command, the united resistant front and a few commanders, in an attempt to try and understand how each of them view the relationship and how they can come together to move forward with the process. This follows the separate movements stay in Juba last year where they worked closely together with the SPLM and mediation to try and achieve a joint and unified outcome. Arriving at Juba airport AU envoy Dr.Salim had this to say:

"…From here were further to discuss with the president and the other splm colleagues on what is the way forward bearing in mind the important contribution made by the splm in trying to promote cohesion and unity among the movements. The efforts done here have been tremendous and we appreciate that, and so now we have to build on it, using SPLM as a unique role by virtue of its own experience both as a movement and with its historical experience they can share and also as part of the GONU so in this both two capacities we look forward to exchanging views of the relationship especially with the president and the other colleagues to see how we can prepare the process forward."

After meeting with the task force and the GOSS president at the presidency the following day Jan Eliasson, Dr Salim Ahmed Sallim and Mr Abdal-Aziz released a statement for the press:

Dr.Salim Ahmed Salim:
We are focusing on the situation in Darfur and the contribution SPLM has been making in the past and is making now and will continue to make this bout of joint efforts with AU and UN. We had a very important meeting with the task force led by the Sudanese chairman Mr Aziz this has also been very extensive, and illuminating as we have the same objectives, the objective to try and promote the peace process, end the conflict in Darfur; end the suffering in Darfur .

We know the complexity of the problem, SPLM have gone through a lot with their experience and we want to make use of their experiences. They are now committed to supporting the process and so we want to work in partnership of the people and continue to work.

So our talks were extremely effective and successful and we were able to share our own experiences in the last three days we spent in Darfur meeting with various units.

How is the situation in Chad and Sudan effecting the Darfur situation?

Jan Eliasson:
Well of course it has a negative impact on the situation. Any rising of tension is damaging to both the peace process and the deployment process of the troops. So we hope very much that both the government of Sudan and the government of Chad will do everything to reduce these tensions and that the different movements in border areas will exercise extreme restraint, no one can gain from an escalation of hostilities.

Generally what we aim for now is reduction of tensions and airing the climate that is conducive to the talks and that’s why this visit to juba was so important to meet with the task force coming to the simple conclusion that we have to work together, all of us. It goes for the UN it goes for AU members it goes for the SPLM it goes in particular to the regional countries. We are at a critical stage with some major difficulties but where we definitely have to proceed and try to vitalize this process and keep the momentum for peace.

Edward Lino:
In the meeting we have explored all what we have done in the past and how we are going to prepare for the future in terms of our intentions. We are going to be committed and do whatever we can. The process is on and continuous and we want to keep it that way and that’s why today we have been given even more strength when they came.

Abdal-Aziz Alhillu:
The meeting was very fruitful and we feel that we are going to succeed because we in the SPLM/A have a step in the process and we have interest to see the Darfur issue settle peacefully so that we go ahead of the implementation of the CPA and achieve a lasting peace in the country.

When asked if they were ready to meet with JEM they replied:

Dr Salim Ahmed:
Well we have met JEM before, I went myself to the areas controlled by JEM in kairai I met with khalil and there’s no reason why we cant meet them again the only problem that was in this particular time there were a lot of complications in by virtual escalation of the situation of tension between Chad and Sudan otherwise there’s no reason why we should not be able to meet with them. We look forward to the active discussion of justice and equality to enter the whole process

Jan Eliasson:
Can I add that when I was here in December I was on my way to see khalil actually the helicopter was waiting to take me one morning but at the very last moment evidently there were military activities which caused major security concerns so instead of meeting in the field we had a forty minute long telephone conversation.

We would be very happy to meet with JEM and khalil Ibrahim if possible inside the country otherwise we will try to find other ways of bringing him in. It is very important for you all to know we have an inclusive approach, we want to have as broader as organization as possible for these talks its important we legitimize and have an understanding of the people of Darfur for the process.

Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim:
First our visit was to prepare for substantive talks, we had extensive discussions in various parts of Darfur we met with the SLA unity, we met with the United Resistant Front and we met with the field commanders put in the leadership of Mr Abdulwahid. Now in all these three our objective is one, to try and see what we can do for us to push for the peace process. We held the past two meetings with the deputy first commander of the URF and the second meeting we held with the commander himself and then we have the peace keeping operation going on, we also want to see the political process going on.

The peace keeping operation is important but not only in terms of providing security for the people of Darfur but also emphasizing the fact that whatever agreement that is entered into we have a credible force which can be able to monitor and ensure the implementation of that agreement we need an all increasing process and in that aspect we have been trying to consult with as many forces as possible so that when we convene the meeting we have the broadest possible representation of the stakeholders in Darfur for the peace talks.

If everything goes according to plan when do you think talks will resume, how soon?

Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim:
Well as soon as possible, this is something that we stress is a question of urgency but we don’t want to be caught in a situation where we give a specific date and then that particular date this group or that group is not ready, so we want to ensure that when we convene the meeting, all groups have been consulted and all who can come, come and those who cant come cant on their own revelation not because they weren’t consulted.

Jan Eliasson:
After seirter we found that several of the movements wanted to continue their preparations for the talks they felt that they weren’t ready. There were both those in seirter and those outside of seirter who wanted to continue their consultation and here again the SPLM plays an important role by offering to host such talks.

Such continued preparations for that period of course we would’ve liked to see it shorter, we would have liked to sit in one place and negotiate but now we have to allow for the movements to prepare themselves so that they come to the table with their prepared common positions and also decisions on the negotiation team. I think that they are aware and I think it was clear play from our friends from the SPLM that there is awareness of the side of importance that we also have to work with urgency.

So we hope very much that we will be able take steps to go to concrete talks soon. We are offering our facilities UN led AU led meeting with the consultation with our friends here in SPLM as a stepping stone to starting talks. But the fact that they needed more time has to be taken into consideration otherwise we risk not having a political mass not having a representative enough group that which we need for the understanding of an agreement of this magnitude.

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