Eds: Attributes quote in para 7 to Gambari instead of El-Bashir - Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the UNAMID Joint Special Representation (JSR) and Joint Chief Mediator, has appealed to Darfur rebel movements to unite for peace and not for war.

“Join the peace process and contribute to building a better tomorrow for all Darfuris. This is not the time to posture. This is not a time to unite for war. This is a time to unite for peace,” Gambari said Wednesday.

Gambari, who briefed members of the local and international press in Khartoum on the latest developments in Darfur, as well as the peace process following the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), was accompanied by Deputy JSR (Political) Aichatou Mindaoudou, Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba, and Police Commissioner James Oppong-Boanuh.

The Darfur rebel movements have recently called for unity within their ranks to stand against the central government in Khartoum.

On Tuesday, President Omar El-Bashir appointed a prominent Darfur political leader as his deputy, Vice President; the first time ever a Darfuri will occupy this post.

However, the Darfur rebel movements have belittled the movement, stressing that what they wanted was how the Sudan would be governed and not who would govern.

Gambari said: 'I reiterate my call to the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the Sudanese Liberation Army- Minni Minawi and the Sudanese Liberation Army – Abdul Wahid, to join the peace process and contribute to the building of a better tomorrow for all Darfuris.'

UNAMID has lost 90 of its local, international and regional staffers, including military and civilians in Darfur, since its inception about four years ago.

According to him, since the signing of the agreement, UNAMID has been working closely with the parties on the implementation of DDPD. 

Pana 15/09/2011