U.S. and European media

November 19, 2022

AFP: Qatar launches Darfur talks without warring parties.  Qatar hosted what it billed as the ceremonial launch of Darfur peace talks on Wednesday but neither Sudanese government nor rebel representatives took part.  Only the hosts and UN and other mediators were present for the ceremony in the capital Doha, an AFP correspondent reported.  "The first signs for reaching a just and comprehensive peace in Darfur have started to appear," Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad said.  This week, Qatar has been hosting a five-day conference among what it calls civil society members, including representatives of the Darfurian diaspora, which it hopes will make recommendations for eventual peace talks.  But other key factions have refused to join the mooted talks in Doha and the JEM says there is no point in taking part if there is no unity among the rebels.

Sudan Tribune: Sudan will 'conditionally' accept hybrid courts for Darfur crimes.  The Sudanese government softened its resistance to the African Union (AU) proposal of establishing a hybrid court to try the Darfur war crime suspects saying it may accept it under certain conditions.  The AU high level panel on Darfur (AUPD) led by former South African president Thabo Mbeki said in a report last month called for a "hybrid Criminal Court which shall exercise original and appellate jurisdiction over individuals who appear to bear particular responsibility for the gravest crimes committed during the conflict in Darfur, and to be constituted by judges of Sudanese and other nationalities".  Following a meeting of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) last month, Mbeki told reporters this week that Khartoum accepted hybrid court but that it would need further discussions with the AU especially where it concerned the hybrid court.

AFP: UN condemns rebel LRA attacks in Africa.  The UN Security Council has "strongly condemned" the ongoing attacks and acts of violence of Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the Great Lakes region of Africa.  "The (15) members of the Security Council strongly condemned the continued and recently increasing attacks carried out by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic and Sudan," it said.  Earlier this year in south Sudan, LRA men attacked several food aid distribution stations, killed hundreds of civilians and kidnapped children for use as soldiers, forcing thousands of people into Western Equatoria.  And two incidents, possibly involving Kony's men, have been reported in recent weeks in the south's Bahr al-Ghazal region, which is wedged between the CAR and the Darfur region of western Sudan, sparking rumours the LRA is moving into Darfur.  South Sudan's army -- whose relations with the central government are strained -- has accused Khartoum of supporting an LRA presence in Darfur, an accusation dismissed by the central government.

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