From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Thu May 27 2010 - 13:43:48 EDT
Sudan's Beshir vows 'objective' dialogue with West
Beshir pledges to fight for Sudanese unity ahead of referendum on
independence of south.
2010-05-27
KHARTOUM - Veteran Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir vowed on Thursday to
engage with the West, as he was sworn in to a new five-year term.
Beshir, who last month won a multi-party election 21 years after seizing
power in a military coup, also pledged to fight for Sudanese unity as
Africa's biggest country heads to a referendum in January next year on
independence for the south.
Dressed in traditional white robes and turban, Beshir addressed parliament
in a ceremony attended by six African heads of state or government, and
low-level representation from Western countries.
"I will personally strive to build up a dialogue, an objective dialogue with
Western states aimed at clearing the atmosphere," he said.
In March 2009, Beshir became the first sitting head of state to be indicted
by the International Criminal Court. He stands accused of war crimes and
crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Critics say the ICC warrant singles out weak states like Sudan, while taking
a hypocritical stance towards countries like the US and Israel.
On Wednesday, an aide to Beshir said Khartoum had ruled out further
negotiations with Darfur's most heavily armed rebel group, the Justice and
Equality Movement (JEM), dashing hopes of peace in the arid desert region.
Beshir's new term of office is seen as crucial for Sudan, where southern
former rebels are seeking to break away.
Last month's presidential election was a key part of a 2005 peace agreement
that put an end to a devastating two-decade civil war with the rebel Sudan
People's Liberation Movement.
"I stress that we are committed... to holding the referendum in the south on
its scheduled date, it is a commitment we will not renege on. We made a vow
and we will adhere to it," Beshir said.
He promised that referendum would take place in a "free atmosphere" and
would be monitored by local and international observers.
"We will accept, in good faith, the choice of the south, whatever the choice
may be," he said, but stressed he would work for the country's unity.
"Our position is a belief in unity. We call for it, we will plan for it and
we will work for it," Beshir said.
He also vowed to work "to achieve security and stability in Darfur."
The Darfur conflict erupted in February 2003, when rebels took up arms
against the government in Khartoum and its allies.
Over the last seven years, the rebels have fractured into multiple
movements, fraying rebel groups, banditry, flip-flopping militias and the
war has widened into overlapping tribal conflicts.
The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died from the combined
effects of war, famine and disease and more than 2.7 million fled their
homes.
Beshir was declared winner in the April 11-15 elections with 67 percent of
the vote but the polls were marred by accusations of fraud and logistical
problems.
His re-election was virtually guaranteed after the withdrawal of his two
main challengers ahead of polling day.
Observers from the European Union and the Carter Centre monitoring polling
said after the vote ended that the election had failed to reach
international standards.
In a speech celebrating his disputed election victory last month, Beshir
vowed to campaign for unity.
And on Monday, newly elected parliament speaker Ibrahim Ahmed al-Taher
focused on the referendum in his inaugural speech.
"The assembly's first task is to call upon southerners to preserve the unity
of Sudan because that is what serves their interests," said Taher, a member
of Beshir's National Congress Party, which controls parliament.
Salva Kiir, who heads the former rebel SPLM, was sworn in as the first
elected president of the autonomous region of south Sudan on Friday pledging
to campaign for independence.
African Union (AU) chief Jean Ping voiced concern Tuesday about south Sudan
voting for independence in January, saying it would be a "major problem" for
other African nations.
"From the outset we've argued in favour one of the options, making (Sudan's)
unity attractive," Ping told journalists during events marking Africa Day.
"That's a major problem for all African countries which could be confronted
by similar situations, that's what concerns us," said the AU Commission
chief.
"Such a decision could lead us again to a number of major difficulties,
including war."
However, Ping said that if the referendum does go forward "we have no other
choice than to respect the decision of the Sudanese."
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