DECLARATION
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES (DOP)
FOR RESOLUTION OF DARFUR CONFLICT
PREAMBLE
We, the representatives of the Government of Sudan (hereinafter referred to as the GOS) on the one hand and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on the other hand (hereinafter referred to as the SLM/JEM), and all the three parties hereinafter referred to as the Parties: -
- Concerned and deeply alarmed by the horrific human tragedy in Darfur that has caused the death of tens of thousands and flight of over one million innocent civilians as refugees or internally displaced people;
- Recalling that previous peace talks in Abache and N’djamena did not yield any positive results, but were instead followed by more war, displacement of innocent civilians by the Janjaweed and more suffering;
- Mindful of the urgent need to disarm the Janjaweed militias and to bring peace and security to the people of Darfur, so that the refugees and internally displaced people return to their homes;
- Cognizant and appreciative of the concern by the international community with the terrible tragedy and humanitarian crisis in Darfur, notably the UN, AU, USA and the EU;
- Hereby agree to the following Declaration of Principles (DOP) that shall constitute the basis for resolving the conflict in Darfur and thus contribute to reaching a comprehensive peace for all of Sudan: -
Declaration of Principles (DOP)
1. The Parties agree that the conflict in Darfur cannot be solved by military means, and therefore fully commit themselves and pledge that a negotiated peaceful and just political settlement shall be the common objective of the Parties.
2. Like other conflicts in different parts of Sudan, the conflict in Darfur is the result of the political, economic and cultural marginalization of the wider segments of the Sudanese society, and the parties here agree and commit themselves to removal of the root causes of conflicts and wars in the country through dialogue and negotiations.
3. Negotiations cannot take place in an environment in which the Janjaweed militias continue to kill innocent civilians and pillage and devastate Darfur. The first step to build confidence and start genuine negotiations in an atmosphere conducive to talks is for the international community and the GOS to disarm the Janjaweed militias who created or were used to create the present human tragedy in Darfur. Furthermore, the GOS must at the same time stop aerial and artillery bombardment of villages in Darfur, and in this regard the GOS must fulfill its commitments as stated in the N’djamena Declarations, which were communicated to the USA, EU and the wider international community.
4. The Parties agree to provide full access for delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy in Darfur, and further agree to work out with the international community a tripartite permanent mechanism for delivery of humanitarian assistance without subjecting it to political considerations, a mechanism that is similar to the successful UN/OLS experience in Southern Sudan.
5. The unequal sharing of power and distribution of wealth, which is one of the main reasons of the marginalization of Darfur Region, can only be addressed through a just and equal sharing of power and equitable distribution of wealth at the central and regional levels. The unequal relation of power between the central authority in Khartoum and the different regions of Sudan, in this regard Darfur, is one of the sources of conflict in different regions of Sudan. Sudan needs a paradigm shift to a system of rule that is based on decentralization and devolution of power to enable the different regions to rule themselves while remaining an integral part of the country.
6. The question of land, which is a central issue in the Darfur conflict, is aggravated by wrong and partisan policies. These policies violated the inherited traditions of land in Darfur and this is a major part of the conflict. A correct resolution of the question of land must be based on the historical rights of the different tribes of Darfur.
7. The Parties agree that Sudan’s unity is of paramount importance. Unity cannot be viable unless it is based on justice and equality for all the Sudanese peoples. Sudan’s unity must be anchored and predicated on full acknowledgement of Sudan’s ethnic, cultural, social and political diversity. Viable unity must therefore ultimately be based on the free will of the various peoples of Sudan. The fundamental imperatives of a viable unity are an economy and political system that address the uneven development and marginalization that have plagued the country since independence.
8. Sudan is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed. Extensive rights of self-administration on the basis of a full and real federation, autonomy or confederation must be affirmed for all regions and peoples of the Sudan.
9. The Arab and African tribes of Darfur are integral and indivisible components of the Darfur social fabric. The Parties agree to desist from use of one tribe or group of tribes against others, and instead to work for reconciliation and restoration of the traditional and time-honored peaceful coexistence among the various tribes and peoples of Darfur.
10. The transitional and permanent constitution of Sudan should be based on the separation of religion and politics and on the basis of equal constitutional rights and duties between all Sudanese regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender or social background. Religion is a source of spiritual and moral inspiration for our peoples and serves their needs and those of the entire humankind in their pursuit of peaceful interaction and greater moral and spiritual ascendancy. The Parties agree to the principle that the State belongs to all Sudanese regardless of their religious or spiritual values and further agree that the neutrality of the State on religious matters as well as respect and full freedom for all religions must be affirmed and preserved. The Parties agree that religion and politics belong to two different domains and must be kept in their respective domains, with religion belonging to the personal domain and the state in the public domain, that is, religion belongs to the individual and the State belongs to all of us. In this way religion cannot become a cause of conflict among citizens of the same country.
11. The Parties agree on full respect for human rights, democracy and political pluralism, and on a system of rule that fully respects the cultural diversity of the Sudan and which creates free and democratic conditions for cultural dialogue and cross-fertilization, generating a new view of an all-inclusive Sudanese identity. Human rights as internationally recognized shall form part of any agreement reached by the Parties and shall be embodied in the transitional and permanent constitutions of the Sudan. In this regard, the independence of the judiciary shall be part of such an agreement and it shall be enshrined in the constitution and laws of the Sudan.
12. The Parties agree to negotiate an interim arrangement to end the war in Darfur, and further agree that the nature, duration and tasks of the interim period shall be negotiated by the parties.
13. Upon conclusion of a peace agreement, the parties shall negotiate a cease-fire arrangement that shall be part of the overall settlement of the Darfur conflict.
14. Any peace agreement reached by the Parties cannot be imposed on the people of Darfur, and so there is need to agree on a mechanism for public consultation involving all peoples and all tribes in Darfur to determine their respective future after the transitional period following conclusion of a peace agreement.
15. Based on the foregoing Declaration of Principles (DOP), the Parties affirm their readiness to negotiate a fair and just political settlement to end the conflict in Darfur.
Signed: ______________________
Venue:_ _____________________
Date : ______________________
FOR RESOLUTION OF DARFUR CONFLICT
PREAMBLE
We, the representatives of the Government of Sudan (hereinafter referred to as the GOS) on the one hand and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on the other hand (hereinafter referred to as the SLM/JEM), and all the three parties hereinafter referred to as the Parties: -
- Concerned and deeply alarmed by the horrific human tragedy in Darfur that has caused the death of tens of thousands and flight of over one million innocent civilians as refugees or internally displaced people;
- Recalling that previous peace talks in Abache and N’djamena did not yield any positive results, but were instead followed by more war, displacement of innocent civilians by the Janjaweed and more suffering;
- Mindful of the urgent need to disarm the Janjaweed militias and to bring peace and security to the people of Darfur, so that the refugees and internally displaced people return to their homes;
- Cognizant and appreciative of the concern by the international community with the terrible tragedy and humanitarian crisis in Darfur, notably the UN, AU, USA and the EU;
- Hereby agree to the following Declaration of Principles (DOP) that shall constitute the basis for resolving the conflict in Darfur and thus contribute to reaching a comprehensive peace for all of Sudan: -
Declaration of Principles (DOP)
1. The Parties agree that the conflict in Darfur cannot be solved by military means, and therefore fully commit themselves and pledge that a negotiated peaceful and just political settlement shall be the common objective of the Parties.
2. Like other conflicts in different parts of Sudan, the conflict in Darfur is the result of the political, economic and cultural marginalization of the wider segments of the Sudanese society, and the parties here agree and commit themselves to removal of the root causes of conflicts and wars in the country through dialogue and negotiations.
3. Negotiations cannot take place in an environment in which the Janjaweed militias continue to kill innocent civilians and pillage and devastate Darfur. The first step to build confidence and start genuine negotiations in an atmosphere conducive to talks is for the international community and the GOS to disarm the Janjaweed militias who created or were used to create the present human tragedy in Darfur. Furthermore, the GOS must at the same time stop aerial and artillery bombardment of villages in Darfur, and in this regard the GOS must fulfill its commitments as stated in the N’djamena Declarations, which were communicated to the USA, EU and the wider international community.
4. The Parties agree to provide full access for delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy in Darfur, and further agree to work out with the international community a tripartite permanent mechanism for delivery of humanitarian assistance without subjecting it to political considerations, a mechanism that is similar to the successful UN/OLS experience in Southern Sudan.
5. The unequal sharing of power and distribution of wealth, which is one of the main reasons of the marginalization of Darfur Region, can only be addressed through a just and equal sharing of power and equitable distribution of wealth at the central and regional levels. The unequal relation of power between the central authority in Khartoum and the different regions of Sudan, in this regard Darfur, is one of the sources of conflict in different regions of Sudan. Sudan needs a paradigm shift to a system of rule that is based on decentralization and devolution of power to enable the different regions to rule themselves while remaining an integral part of the country.
6. The question of land, which is a central issue in the Darfur conflict, is aggravated by wrong and partisan policies. These policies violated the inherited traditions of land in Darfur and this is a major part of the conflict. A correct resolution of the question of land must be based on the historical rights of the different tribes of Darfur.
7. The Parties agree that Sudan’s unity is of paramount importance. Unity cannot be viable unless it is based on justice and equality for all the Sudanese peoples. Sudan’s unity must be anchored and predicated on full acknowledgement of Sudan’s ethnic, cultural, social and political diversity. Viable unity must therefore ultimately be based on the free will of the various peoples of Sudan. The fundamental imperatives of a viable unity are an economy and political system that address the uneven development and marginalization that have plagued the country since independence.
8. Sudan is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed. Extensive rights of self-administration on the basis of a full and real federation, autonomy or confederation must be affirmed for all regions and peoples of the Sudan.
9. The Arab and African tribes of Darfur are integral and indivisible components of the Darfur social fabric. The Parties agree to desist from use of one tribe or group of tribes against others, and instead to work for reconciliation and restoration of the traditional and time-honored peaceful coexistence among the various tribes and peoples of Darfur.
10. The transitional and permanent constitution of Sudan should be based on the separation of religion and politics and on the basis of equal constitutional rights and duties between all Sudanese regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender or social background. Religion is a source of spiritual and moral inspiration for our peoples and serves their needs and those of the entire humankind in their pursuit of peaceful interaction and greater moral and spiritual ascendancy. The Parties agree to the principle that the State belongs to all Sudanese regardless of their religious or spiritual values and further agree that the neutrality of the State on religious matters as well as respect and full freedom for all religions must be affirmed and preserved. The Parties agree that religion and politics belong to two different domains and must be kept in their respective domains, with religion belonging to the personal domain and the state in the public domain, that is, religion belongs to the individual and the State belongs to all of us. In this way religion cannot become a cause of conflict among citizens of the same country.
11. The Parties agree on full respect for human rights, democracy and political pluralism, and on a system of rule that fully respects the cultural diversity of the Sudan and which creates free and democratic conditions for cultural dialogue and cross-fertilization, generating a new view of an all-inclusive Sudanese identity. Human rights as internationally recognized shall form part of any agreement reached by the Parties and shall be embodied in the transitional and permanent constitutions of the Sudan. In this regard, the independence of the judiciary shall be part of such an agreement and it shall be enshrined in the constitution and laws of the Sudan.
12. The Parties agree to negotiate an interim arrangement to end the war in Darfur, and further agree that the nature, duration and tasks of the interim period shall be negotiated by the parties.
13. Upon conclusion of a peace agreement, the parties shall negotiate a cease-fire arrangement that shall be part of the overall settlement of the Darfur conflict.
14. Any peace agreement reached by the Parties cannot be imposed on the people of Darfur, and so there is need to agree on a mechanism for public consultation involving all peoples and all tribes in Darfur to determine their respective future after the transitional period following conclusion of a peace agreement.
15. Based on the foregoing Declaration of Principles (DOP), the Parties affirm their readiness to negotiate a fair and just political settlement to end the conflict in Darfur.
Signed: ______________________
Venue:_ _____________________
Date : ______________________
posted by husam @ 6:29 PM
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