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UN, AU, others warn Sudanese parties on violating peace accord
From Ogbogho Obayuwana, Abuja
MINDFUL of the huge resources spent so far on efforts to resolve the Darfur crises in Western Sudan, the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and Nigeria have jointly warned of dire consequences should the parties to that country's armed conflict fail to implement to the letter, the newly signed Abuja protocols on security and humanitarian needs.
At a special valedictory session to wind up the second round of talks in Abuja, the warring parties were told to not only avoid short term propagandist statements, but also to be aware that the world was running out of patience with intransigent militant disputers.
Parties to the inter-Sudanese peace talks, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SAM/L), the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the government of Sudan, had signed a five-page security protocol which among others, requires that they refrain from conducting hostile military flights in and around the region.
Another five-page document on humanitarian issues commits all sides to the compulsory guarantee of unimpeded and unrestricted access for aid workers and assistance to reach all needy people throughout Darfur.
Addressing the parties in the presence of international observers from the European Union (EU) the Arab League, African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) the United States (US) the United Kingdom (UK), and the Chadian co-mediation team, the special representative of the UN to the talks, Abdul Mohammed, said: "We consider these two agreements as investments and as a down payment for peace...there are indeed no winners and no losers. The winners are the people of Darfur. What the world expects from you now is to avoid short term propagandist statements."
The representative of the AU Commission, Ambassador Sam Ibok, commended the progress made by the parties regarding the Declaration of Principles (DOP), but warned that everything must be done "to ensure that the DOP guides their future deliberations and constitutes the basis for a just, comprehensive and durable political and socio-economic resolution of the conflict in Darfur."
The Federal Government's voice was lent to the session by Cooperation and Integration in Africa Minister, Alhaji Lawan Gona-Guba, who warned that violaters of the peace accord would have themselves to blame.
The Minister also pledged the commitment by the Nigerian government of "more resources" towards the discharge of her special responsibilities in ensuring that all went well during the period of mediation.
Adopting the security and humanitarian protocol, the delegates noted that they were guided by the spirit and letter of the UN Security Council resolutions 1556 and 1564 adopted on 30th July 2004 as well as the Njamena Agreement on the modalities for the establishment of the Cease Fire Commission (CFC) and the deployment of observers in Darfur, which was signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 28, 2004.
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