Sowing the Seeds of Peace…
Darfur-Darfur Dialogue
With the current conflict spilling over the borders of both Chad and the Central African Republic and millions of lives at stake, the urgency of brokering peace in Darfur cannot be underestimated. DRP seeks to promote inclusive discussions among all concerned parties that will bring about a lasting solution and ultimately lead to the rehabilitation of the Darfur region. To that end, DRP has initiated the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue, first convened at Seton Hall University in July 2005, entitled the Darfur Leadership Initiative. These initial conferences brought together Darfurian leaders in the Diaspora representing many different ethnic groups and points of view to begin an on-going discussion of next steps towards negotiating peace in Darfur. These discussions have taken place on several occasions at Seton Hall University, George Mason University and several times at DRP headquarters in Newark, New Jersey. Many believe the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), while a positive first step in creating a framework for these discussions, has been largely ineffective because its negotiation excluded the voices of the vast majority of Darfurians. In fact, its signing included only one of the three organized factions, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) Mini Minawi's faction which is said to be the least popular group among average Darfurians. While the DPA contains a provision for the dialogue to continue, currently, the Juba Initiative under the auspices of the Government of Southern Sudan, the African Union and the United Nations--to name a few--are extensively working on the unification phase of the Darfur-Darfur dialogue in an attempt to unify the many splintered groups either inside or outside of Sudan that seeks to represent the sometimes divergent interests of all Darfur’s people and to unite them in one voice that calls for lasting peace in earnest.
DRP is working in collaboration with all concerned groups through the Darfur-Darfur Dialogues, to transform the existing crisis by mobilizing all stakeholders within Darfur, in Khartoum and in the Diaspora while continuing to engage concerned Sudanese from other regions, in the process. The D/D Dialogue aims to promote relationships that cut across ethnic, social, and political barriers to foster a spirit of collaboration and peace-building. Facilitated by DRP board members( who have met and repeatedly consulted with Prof. Roger Fischer of Harvard’s Kennedy Law School and the author of “Getting to Yes”), mechanisms have been put in place to insure that productive discussions lead to conflict resolution. DRP members have attended several peace-building seminars and received training from the PINCUS Group. With the logistical support from SAVE DARFUR COALITION, DRP members participated in the negotiation seminars organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Public International Law & Policy Group and Baker McKenzie. The D/D Dialogue is a crucial step in transforming Darfur from a culture of conflict to a society of peace.
Darfur Leadership Network
