The Darfur Peace agreement one year on: What are the lessons gained?

As we mark the first anniversary of the signing of the Darfur Peace agreement (DPA) this week, we need to take stock of the gains and disappointments that emerged during the past year. The Darfur talks started with a spirit of reconciliation and international resolve to end the suffering of the people of darfur trapped amidst the fighting factions. The call for stopping the plight of the people in Darfur rang across capitals in the world the U.N., AU and the international community at large responded by calling on all sides to restrain from violence. However, certain corners continue to dislodge the peace process by continuing fighting and refusing to become signatories of the DPA
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One fact still remains unchanged: military intervention alone cannot solve the problem. No amount of peacekeepers either from the AU or the UN can bring any change on the ground unless real dialogue grounded under sincere efforts towards reconciliation continues. A comprehensive political settlement needs to be put in place. Last week’s Arab League sponsored agreement between Chad and Sudan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia aimed at calming tensions in Darfur is case in point here. Tensions between Chad and Sudan have opened up opportune conditions for factions to use the common borders as staging grounds to cause havoc in the region. Political settlements here can promise if not a cessation of hostilities but at least foundations for lasting peace. Ban Ki-moon is right in praising the move as it shows the growing commitment of the international community in helping resolve the conflict in Darfur, appreciation here should go to the AU, the Arab league, the U.N. and the International community for bringing about a collaborative efforts to resolve the conflict; a concerted effort here is vital.

The lack of political will speaks volumes of the lost opportunities in the past with more than 200,000 people killed and 2 million others displaced from their homes as a result of the fighting, and fears are increasing that the conflict is spilling over into neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic.
Besides the groups involved in the fighting, peace brokers involved in the process are also required to go about their work based on neutrality and spirit of helping bring a lasting peace in the region. Instead of playing the blame game and diverting attention from the crisis at hand, moves should be made to make the process more transparent and allow the engagement of full-fledged partnership for peace. Also fulfilling previous pledges in the humanitarian and financial sectors need to be pushed for as well. The humanitarian situation as well as the state of the internally displaced persons should be the front and the center in the quest for peace.

People should refrain from seeing the Darfur crisis as black and white, Arabs and Africans. It is a situation that arose from tensions among the inhabitants of the region. Spinning the story into something alluding to genocide or ethnic cleansing is indicative of certain segments pushing for self-serving political gains. It is a clash of communities that occurs in much of Africa. The problem with Darfur was the porous borders as well as slow response to the conflict by the international community. The remoteness of the region has also added to the slow trickle of information in regards to the state of the conflict.

There are indications of commitment by a majority of the groups in the conflict towards seeing an end to this sad affair. Khartoum has accepted the UN’s heavy support package opening room for further steps towards bolstering the security situation in the region. Khartoum setting up the Darfur transitional authority is also an effort to meet the demands set to it and should be seen as a step forward. It is up to everyone involved to see that these commitments continue to be followed through dialogue and negotiations. The African Union should use this opportunity to push for further progress in the situation and help bolster the peace process, it is after all an African initiative. We cannot loose out on the momentum and allow the international community’s attention to wane away at this critical moment. We should all push for non-signatory parties of the DPA to get on board the peace talks, start implementing the ceasefire and be part of the process. The conflict in Darfur is at a crossroads, we cannot allow it to slide back.

May 11, 2007