S/PV.6638 Security Council

I am pleased to be here today to brief the Council on the situation in Darfur and on the implementation of the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General dated 12 October 2011 (S/2011/643). In addition, I should like to highlight some key points related to the peace process and the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur. Progress has been achieved in the implementation of the Agreement on the adoption of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. The head of the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), Eltigani Seisi, arrived in the Sudan on 22 October, together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Ahmad bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud. On 23 October, Mr. Seisi took the oath as Chair of the Darfur Regional Authority, and the following day began a weeklong visit to Darfur, which is still under way. His arrival in the Sudan, as all are aware, was awaited in order to accelerate the next stage of the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, including, inter alia, the establishment of committees and commissions under the authority of the Darfur Regional Authority, as well as the confirmation by President Omer Al-Bashir of the LJM candidates for posts within the Regional Authority and other offices. The intention of the parties is to rebuild the institutions established in the context of the Darfur peace process, whose operations were suspended by the Government following a breakdown in relations with the Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA)-Minni Minawi earlier this year. The parties intend to integrate these elements into the committees and commissions of the Darfur Regional Authority in order to avoid any duplication or overlap. At the fourth and fifth meetings held in El-Fasher, on 3 and 17 October, the Ceasefire Commission discussed the need for the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Liberation and Justice Movement to submit to the process of the verification of maps and information relating to the position of their forces. A subcommittee including representatives of UNAMID and the LJM was set up at the 3 October meeting to assist the LJM in producing a graphic representation of the location of its forces. The Sudanese Armed Forces have already submitted the required information, and the LJM is expected to also provide, at the next meeting of the Commission, on 31 October, a list showing the current location of its forces, so as to enable the process of the verification of all forces by UNAMID to begin. UNAMID is helping community leaders and civil society organizations to devise a plan aimed at the dissemination of information on the Doha Document throughout Darfur. Regular contacts have been made with the actors in Darfur from 3 to 19 October. UNAMID has also held meetings in the larger camps and towns to assess the first impressions of the people with regard to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. The mission noted broad support in principle for the Document among internally displaced persons, political opposition parties, civil society organizations and local authorities. UNAMID also noted that many of them deplore the lack of support for the Doha Document by the Justice and Equality Movement, the SLA-Abdul Wahid and the SLA-Minni Minawi, and understand that the success of the Doha Document will depend to a large extent on the willingness of the Government to implement its provisions. While we commend the first steps taken by the Government and the LJM in terms of implementing the Doha Document, we must also continue to do everything in our power to help the Sudanese people to reach an inclusive and final agreement on this conflict. As the Security Council is aware, the United Nations and the African Union are working with the parties to develop a new road map for peace in Darfur, whose aim is to put an end to hostilities and to make the peace process more inclusive. (spoke in English) Following extensive consultations between the United Nations and the African Union, as well as with the parties to the conflict and the members of the Implementation Follow-Up Commission, UNAMID presented the main elements of the road map to international partners at the fourth retreat of special envoys, held in El Geneina on 19 October. Those elements were: first, support for the implementation of the Doha Document; secondly, sustained engagement with those movements that were holding out; and thirdly, support, in principle, for internal dialogue among the people of Darfur on the peace process. Final consultations are needed within the United Nations and the African Union, as well as with international partners, before the road map can be finalized. In addition, provision will be made for the outcome of a workshop set to take place in Washington, D.C., on 16 and 17 November to be reflected in the road map. The development of the road map as a whole will be completed by the end of the year. At the retreat for special envoys I mentioned earlier, participants reviewed recent developments in Darfur and discussed the way forward. The retreat provided a useful forum for enhancing coordination and the engagement of the international community in the Darfur peace process. In the outcome statement of 19 October, participants, among other things, welcomed the signing of the Agreement for the Adoption of the Doha Document, took note of the progress made towards the implementation of the Agreement, and called on all parties to cease military hostilities and pursue a negotiated settlement to the conflict. While the security situation in Darfur was relatively calm between 1 July and the end of September, it subsequently deteriorated in El Taweisha, in North Darfur, and in Nertiti, in the West, due to sporadic fighting between Government forces and armed groups. Since the issuance of the Secretary- General’s report on 5 October, an unidentified armed group attacked the compound of the Nertiti Locality Commissioner. A Government police unit guarding the compound repelled the attack, and there were no reported casualties. Also in Nertiti, an unidentified armed group attacked a Sudanese Armed Forces observation post on 12 October. Again, no casualties were reported. UNAMID increased patrolling in the area and engaged community leaders, local Government officials and movement commanders to promote security and stability. In North Darfur, an unidentified armed group attacked a Sudanese Armed Forces unit in Kroya Laban, 25 kilometres west of El Taweisha, on 6 October, killing — according to Sudanese Armed Forces sources — three of SAF soldiers and injuring nine. Local interlocutors informed UNAMID that the Sudanese Armed Forces then attacked Kroya Laban and nearby Ushandumah villages on 9 October. On 11 October, at the camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Neem 60 kilometres south of El Taweisha, a UNAMID verification patrol encountered approximately 80 households recently displaced from Kroya Laban and Ushandumah. The Mission is working with humanitarian agencies to ensure that these persons receive aid. As I have mentioned, with regard to recent attacks involving UNAMID patrols, on 30 September, as a UNAMID patrol passed by a Sudanese Armed Forces position in Foro Baranga, in West Darfur, a man dressed in civilian clothing ran towards the convoy, climbed on top of a UNAMID armed personnel carrier and attempted to enter it through the top hatch. The man was being pursued and fired upon by Sudanese Armed Forces personnel, who shot him dead. Approximately 40 Sudanese Armed Forces soldiers then surrounded the convoy and took custody of the body. I have to stress that UNAMID takes such situations seriously, and an investigation into the incident, including into whether patrol members followed proper drills and procedures, is under way. The case of the person in charge is presently being scrutinized. UNAMID human rights officers are also following up with Sudanese Armed Forces authorities to investigate the circumstances that led to the victim being pursued by Government soldiers. As I reported to the Council on 11 October during a briefing on Abyei, a UNAMID patrol was ambushed by unidentified armed men near Zam Zam camp on 10 October. Tragically, three UNAMID peacekeepers were killed and six injured. One of the attackers was also killed in the exchange of fire that ensued. A UNAMID investigation into the incident is ongoing. The investigation will aim to establish, among other things, the source of the attack and the steps that UNAMID can take to deter and enhance its response to such attacks. In accordance with resolution 2003 (2011) and with a view to enhancing the efficiency of the operations of the Mission, the Secretary-General is planning to undertake a review of UNAMID uniformed personnel. The review will be led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations on behalf of the Secretary- General, working in conjunction with the African Union, UNAMID and relevant Secretariat departments. It is our intention to undertake a comprehensive review of mission resources for mandate implementation, with, as I said, a particular focus on uniformed personnel. The Secretary-General expects to be able to provide preliminary recommendations to the Council in the first quarter of next year. In conclusion, I would like to stress that while important progress has been made in the peace process, more work is required to reach an inclusive settlement to the conflict. It will be crucial in this regard for the signatory parties to broaden support for the Doha Document by working to ensure that peace dividends reach the people of Darfur. I therefore call on the parties to implement the DDPD faithfully and in a timely manner. I also urge international partners to support the parties’ efforts in this regard. The attainment of an inclusive settlement to the conflict also requires the Government and holdout movements to agree to cease hostilities and enter into dialogue. The effects of clashes like those in Nertiti and El Taweisha show that protection and humanitarian challenges will remain so long as the Sudanese Armed Forces and armed groups engage each other militarily. I call on those parties that have not yet done so to cease hostilities and enter into peace negotiations immediately and without precondition. In addition, UNAMID peacekeepers and aid workers continue to face serious risks in Darfur. Of course, I strongly condemn those responsible for the cowardly attack on our peacekeepers at Zam Zam. I call on the Government to fully investigate the incident and to spare no effort in bringing those responsible to justice. I also call on the Government to fully investigate the 30 September shooting incident in Foro Baranga. The continued support of the Council remains vital to enabling UNAMID to improve the security situation in Darfur, support the delivery of aid and advance the peace process. Despite the challenges, the many dedicated women and men of UNAMID are contributing to the creation of a more secure environment for civilians, safer humanitarian operations and more inclusive peace process in what remain very difficult and demanding circumstances.

I thank Mr. Ladsous for his briefing. I now give the floor to the representative of the Sudan.

At the outset, I should like to reiterate our congratulations to you, Madame, as you prepare to conclude your presidency of the Security Council for this month, having organized a programme ripe with momentous issues related to the maintenance of international peace and security. On behalf of the Government and the people of the Sudan, I extend our condolences to the peoples and Governments of Rwanda and Senegal for the three soldiers who were killed in the attack carried out by the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minawi against a convoy of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) near the Zam Zam camp in a desperate attempt to stifle the positive impetus and considerable support enjoyed by the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. I should also like to thank Mr. Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, for his briefing on the situation in Darfur. We are inspired with hope by the fact that today’s deliberations on the Secretary-General’s report on UNAMID (S/2011/643) are taking place only two days after the appointment Mr. Eltigani Seisi, the head of the Liberation and Justice Movement who signed the Doha Document, as Chair of the Darfur Regional Authority. Earlier, Al Haj Adam Youssef, an outstanding leader and son of Darfur, was appointed Second Vice-President of the Republic of the Sudan. The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, signed on 14 July 2011, is not merely a traditional peace agreement. Rather, it reflects an integrated vision to address all of the Darfuris’ demands and aspirations. All the Council members have followed the heavy turnout and broad participation by all sections and factions of Darfuri society. The Sudanese stakeholders conference was held in Doha in the framework of this Document. In addition there was engagement by the tribal chiefs as symbols of the civil administration, civil society youth organizations and women in Darfur. Immediately after the signing of the Document we began with robust resolve the first phase of its implementation by earmarking $2 billion annually towards projects for recovery, development and reconstruction, including rehabilitation of the villages and to facilitate voluntary return and stability for the internally displaced persons. Contrary to previous times, the temporary Darfuri authorities will now have their venue in Darfur and not in Khartoum. By virtue of the provisions of the agreement, the Authority enjoys a broad mandate with respect to the needs and demands of its people, who are a dear part of our people in the Sudan. Despite the fact that all the citizens of Darfur fully opted in favour of peace and agreed to the Doha Peace Document, peace continues to have enemies among those who prefer to profit from the situation of their people in Darfur. Although the Doha Document comprehensively addressed the root causes of the conflict, as stated in paragraph 2 of the report before the Council, leaders of some movements have refused to accede to the march of peace and have instead entered into conspiratorial alliances with some parties that have nothing whatsoever to do with the Darfur question. They have stated their adoption of military action as the sole option to topple the Government. That has showed that the Government is more interested in achieving peace and stability and in responding to the demands of the Darfuris than are those movements that have appointed themselves as custodians over the Darfuris, without any right or any legitimate or national democratic elections in the region. Yet despite that, the Doha Document did not close the door in their face. Rather it called on those movements to join the peace train and to sign the Agreement. Rather than making use of the time limit set for joining the peace train, those movements entered into conspiratorial alliances with the outlawed parties from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)-North. In Kaoda, South Kordofan, they signed an agreement in which they promised to topple the Government by military action. That alone constitutes a dangerous threat to the Government of the fledgling sisterly Government of South Sudan, because the rebel movements in Darfur are attempting to deter the peace, stability and security so highly needed by the sisterly State of South Sudan. We fear that this may lead to a weakening of the State whose success we all hope for. That was the response of the rebel movements to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. Therefore, we expect the Council to take the requisite measures towards those who impede the achievement of peace and stability. This is particularly so since the Council’s resolution emphasized its resolve to take such measures. With respect to UNAMID’s important role in Darfur, my delegation reiterates its full commitment to cooperate with the mission and to facilitate its task in the framework of its mandate, according to the resolution by which it was established. At the same time, we would emphasize the need for coordination between the mission and the provincial authorities in Darfur with regard to the time and the manner of managing security, administrative and logistical affairs in order to avoid the possibility of such regrettable incidents as the one that happened in the Zam Zam camp, where three or four peacekeeper guests were victims. It was carried out by the rebel faction led by Minni Arko Minawi. That incident would never have taken place had there been coordination with the mission under the agreement not to run patrols at night and to abide by requirements of prior notification to the relevant authorities. The report before the Council has clearly indicated in paragraph 20, in the section on the security situation, that skirmishes between Government forces and armed movements have decreased. From time to time residual armed groups undertake certain violations, plundering, armed robbery and theft in a manner that requires our armed forces to intervene to impose the rule of law and to protect civilians. With respect to the contents of the report, in particular the allegations of restrictions that impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance to some areas, we would like to clarify certain important elements to the Council. Some personnel of humanitarian organizations have occasionally travelled directly to the site where they intend to work without acquiring internal travel permits beforehand. When they reach the site, they are asked to show such permits. Security and police officials then have no other option but to send them back in order to obtain the required approval. That must not be interpreted as impeding the movement of personnel of humanitarian organizations. Rather, it is a shortcoming that must be blamed on the personnel of those organizations. A high-level committee that includes Government, United Nations and humanitarian representatives is the mechanism with responsibility for ensuring the delivery of humanitarian assistance and removing obstacles to that end. In addition, from time to time, security assessments are carried out and United Nations staff and humanitarian personnel are instructed not to travel to a given area. This is first and foremost in order to ensure their safety and to prevent kidnappings, as have taken place in the past. It is done out of my Government’s concern, which should be appreciated. With regard to entry visas for mission personnel, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations is well aware of the fact that in recent weeks we have asked it repeatedly to provide us with a specific list of persons requiring visas. We continue to await such a list. I would now like to address an important issue concerning visas. In consultation with the leadership of UNAMID, we concluded that we should prioritize the recruitment of Arabic-speaking police personnel. There is a genuine communication problem between mission police and the citizens of Darfur. Joint Chief Mediator Ibrahim Gambari has made some progress in that regard in the process of the periodic rotation of formed police units. The Council has agreed on the need for Arabic-speaking police personnel in a society whose language is Arabic and with whom there is a need for communication and to provide them services. In conclusion, having begun the practical implementation of the Doha Document for Peace, it is our hope that UNAMID will pay greater attention to the other aspects of its mandate pertaining to development and reconciliation, with a view to implementing the provisions of the Document. The meeting between mission officials and various Council members, the meeting of Darfur representatives with many members of the Council and the meetings held in Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, with the Government of the Sudan from 19 to 20 October all point to the extent to which stability and peace are entrenched in West Darfur. The meeting with the Government of the Sudan illustrates its cooperation in bringing an end to what remains of the conflict. The development efforts we look forward to in the next phase through the contributions of the international community — in particular donors, international financial institutions and United Nations agencies — in support of the Doha Document will enable Darfur’s citizens to achieve stability and to live normal lives. Finally, I wish Under-Secretary-General Ladsous every success on his upcoming trip to the Sudan to meet with senior officials on all aspects pertaining to the situation in Darfur and UNAMID.

I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion of the subject.