REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, EL FASHER -- Local Sudanese and international leaders came together on Monday in another effort to find peace in the war-torn Darfur region through internal dialogue.
The Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation (DIDC) Implementing Committee was launched on Monday as representatives from the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Qatar's government, the Darfur Regional Authority, and the Sudanese government attended an opening ceremony in North Darfur's capital, El Fasher.
Darfur has been plagued by continual violent tribal clashes for years, and the Sudanese central government, incapable of solving the crisis on its own, has enlisted the help of the international community.
The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), which was signed in Qatar in June 2011, aimed to bring peace to the region. But almost three years after its signing, the Doha agreement has not had much of an impact on the ground, prompting leaders to form other peace initiatives like the DIDC Implementing Committee.
During the ceremony, Assistant to the Sudanese President Ibrahim Ghandour urged the region's armed groups to join the peace process.
Qatar's ambassador to Sudan, Rashid Abdel-Rahman Al-Neami, reiterated his country's support for the peace and development efforts in Darfur.
The committee comprises eminent individuals from Darfur and other regions in Sudan, including representatives from the DDPD parties, civil society leaders, youth and women's groups, prominent academics, entrepreneurs, as well as leaders of internally displaced populations.
The committee is tasked with overseeing and conducting dialogues and consultations between various sides, as well as guaranteeing a thorough documentation and analysis of the process and outcomes. It will also ensure that the process remains inclusive, transparent and credible at all times.
Members of the committee said they were making many attempts to contact the rogue militias who have rejected the Doha agreement and to convince them to take part in the DIDC.
Despite this recent initiative, Darfur has witnessed intense violent clashes over the past few months, prompting many civilians to flee from their homes. In late March, UNAMID reported that more than 215,000 people have been displaced due to the fighting in Sudan's Darfur region since the beginning of the year. The United Nations has attempted to protect thousands, mostly women and children, by housing them in their North Darfur base.
On Saturday, a UN peacekeeper and three others were injured while attending a mediation meeting between two other tribes, reflecting the growing level of violence in the region.
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