Editorial: Choosing peace Thursday, 29 December 2011 01:43

Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al Bashir has called the killing of a main Darfur rebel as ‘divine retribution’ for his crimes against Sudan. Khalil Ibrahim, the intrepid leader of Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), was killed in an aerial attack by Sudanese forces and undoubtledly, his death marks the end of a bitter chapter in the Darfur conflict. The president added that the killing sends a strong message to all that have failed to differentiate between opposing government and opposing the nation, parties that could not comprehend the regional changes including normalization of Sudan’s ties with Chad, the downfall of Gaddafi’s regime in Libya and the Doha peace accord signed last July.

Darfur has dominated headlines in the region for years. It’s a part of Sudan that has been in turmoil since 2003, shaken by an uprising by ethnic African rebels who accused the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination.

The Khartoum government was accused of retaliating by unleashing Arab militias on them. According to UN estimates, 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.7 million have been displaced. The international criminal court in The Hague has even issued an international arrest warrant for Bashir for his alleged crimes against humanity in Darfur. However, the conflict has been on the decline since 2009.

Qatar has played a significant role in bringing peace to Darfur by bringing together the warring forces – the government of Sudan and the rebel groups in Darfur – around the table and brokering a deal. Interestingly, the Justice and Equality Movement led by Khalil Ibrahim did not join the peace deal and continued its fighting against the Khartoum government. The JEM is one of the most organised and effective military forces in the conflict-torn western region and its refusal to join the peace talks was seen as a setback for the negotiations.

For all these reasons, the killing of JEM leader can change the course of Darfur conflict. It’s time for all parties involved in the conflict to bury their hatred and come together to bring peace to the country. Instead of launching revenge attacks, the current JEM leadership should choose the path of peace and engage in talks with the Khartoum government. This is a period of change for the Arab region and it’s time for Darfur too to experience change.

Though North Sudan and South Sudan have separated this year, Darfur remains a tinderbox. However, fighting has subsided in the conflict-torn area, but without a permanent solution to the crisis, Sudan will not be able to savour the fruits of progress.

The government of Omar Al Bashar too needs to adopt a conciliatory approach towards the rebels.