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The centre
for society studies organized a forum under the title:
The Hybrid
Forces in Darfur : Expected Consequences and Roles “ in
the Sharjah Hall, University of Khartoum on 18.9.2007.
Speakers included the Ambassador Sirag AL Deen Hamid and Dr.
Safwat Subhi Fanus, Professor of Political Sciences,
University of Khartoum. It was managed by Dr. Al Sadiq
Bakheet and commented on by Ustaz Bilal Gasm Allah from
Crisis Management, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Attiat
Mustafa from the Ministry of Justice, and Ustaz Hassan AL
Mujamar, Manager of the Organisation of the International
Civil Aid., and Dr. Mohammed Awad Al Baroodi from the United
Nations University for Peace.
In
the beginning, Dr. Safwat mentioned that the question of
the hybrid operation is on extremely complicated and
ramifying issue, but he would focus on the possible
scenarios and the results in the aftermath of the arrival of
the forces. He stressed the point that the 1769 Resolution
has asserted the integrity and sovereignty of Sudan, and the
necessity of recognizing the role of the Sudanese
government, and that the numbers of the forces should not
exceed 26 thousand including the police and the armed
forces, that these forces have a years mandate and that they
are empowered to protect the civilians.
Moreover, Dr. Safwat predicted that the new forces will have
at its disposal much more information and greater mobility
and strength compared to the Sudanese Army. However, if the
forces have hidden agendas it would become part of the
problem rather than the solution. Dr. Safwat concluded by
giving a historical account of the Darfur problem which, for
him, is much more deep rooted than the mere four years, and
the resolving the crisis lies with the Sudanese parties and
not the forces.
He
was followed by Dr. Sirag Al Deen Hamid, the Ambassador in
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He started by the
confirming that it was the rejection of the 1769 Resolution
by the President of the Republic that gave Sudan such an
advantageous negotiation position, and also, that the deal
reached was the best possible for Darfur crisis. Then he
gave an account of the hostility that the U.S has had for
Sudan for 15 years and aimed at the fall of the regime.
Moreover he asserted that in the post-cold war era the
breach of the international law in order to invade countries
for political agendas became the norm.
Following he talked about the background of the resolution
and that the rejection of the resolution 1769 by Sudan has
forced the international organization to negotiate,
stressing the crucial moment in November 2006 when an
important meeting was held in Addis Abaa which directed the
attention of the United Nations firstly the problem and the
role of the political process and second the guarantee of
civilian aid, then, thirdly the security arrangement and
peace-keeping. However Dr. Sirag Al Deen emphasized the
importance of receiving these forces with good will
notwithstanding the possible repercussions that must be
prepared for. But, for him the resolution as a whole can be
required as an achievement of the Sudanese diplomacy.
The
points were commented by Dr. Attiat Mustafa who said that
she as a representative of the Ministry of Justice and women
is contemplating negative the effects of the forces on weak
sectors such as women and children. The present conditions
of women in the camps can only be exacerbated by these
forces. Finally, she stressed the importance of the
voluntary return of refugees and the necessity of carrying
out an information campaign shedding light on the possible
consequences of the hybrid forces.
The
second commentator, Ustaz Hassan AL Mujamar, Manager of the
organization of International Civil started by highlighting
the role of the civil society organizations in enlightening
people on this important issue and then he questioned the
role of the Security Council and the legitimacy of its
intervention to maintain peace and human nights. He ended
by calling on the civil society organizations to back the
Sudanese governments in order to achieve peace and
stability.
The third commentator, Bilal Gasm Alla from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs spoke of the hostile atmosphere in which the
resolution was made, and the triumph of Sudanese diplomacy.
However, he expressed fears at the prospect of the forces on
the ground. Lastly, many in the audience including
university teachers, ambassadors, military persons, and
strategians talked. All more or less stressed the
importance of the speeds solution to Darfur crisis which is
the task of the parties of conflict should the hybrid forces
arrive or not. |
