Sudan official says Doha has large support, rebels warn against it

A prominent Darfur politician has announced the conference to be held shortly in Doha has “obtained the political support of a large number of donors”. Meanwhile, a Darfur rebel group says the money gathered in the summit will go to weapons “as in the past”. Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Chairman Dr. Tijani Sese, said in an interview with the Russian television on Wednesday that it is up to the donors to determine during the conference how they want to contribute to the development and reconstruction of Darfur. He noted the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) is “unique” and it was created with the participation of all stakeholders involved, not only by the signatory Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) and by the Sudanese government. Dr. Tijani Sese is also head of the LJM, a rebel group from Darfur that signed the DDPD with the Sudanese government in 2011. DRA was created within the framework of the peace treaty and it is tasked with implementing the agreement. It comprises former rebel fighters as some of its members and Sese was appointed as the chairman.   “Support the regime” Meanwhile, the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) stated the Doha donors’ conference is a summit to support the regime of Khartoum and not the people of Darfur. SLM-MM spokesman Abdullah Mursal told Radio Dabanga the funds pledged by donor countries will be used by the central government of Sudan for “armament operations as it has happened before”. He appealed to the international community not to donate any money to the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) because it will use the resources allocated to the displaced against civilians. The donors’ conference is aimed at raising funds for the development and reconstruction Darfur within the framework of the DDPD. Qatar’s government will host the summit scheduled for 7 and 8 April in Doha.File photo: Dr. Tijani Sese, DRA chairman and head of LJM at Radio Dabanga’s studio