Nuba
and South Blue Nile Civil Society Forum
Kampala,
21-24 November 2002
Press Statement on Non-Participation of Ten Individuals from the Nuba Mountains
The Nuba and South Blue Nile
Civil Society Forum was organised by Justice Africa and hosted by the Pan
African Movement. Due to considerations of balanced representation and cost,
participation in the consultation was restricted to designated invitees. On the
opening day of the Forum, an additional ten individuals, nominated by the
Government of Sudan, arrived at the consultation venue and requested to
participate. These individuals included the following:
1. Dr Kabashur Kuku
2. Dr Falal Tawir Kafi
3. Ibn Omer Ahmed Saboun
4. El Hireika Izz el Din
5. Elsa Abakar
6. Mohammed el Sheikh el Tayeb
7. Esta Kuku Rahhal
8. Awatif Abdel Hamied
9. Dr Bashir Nawai
10.
Dr Hassan el Masha
Unfortunately, due to their
failure to communicate their wish to attend to the conference organisers ahead
of time, it had not been possible to consider their request for participation.
Furthermore, the possibility of the participation of a significant number of
government-supported delegates raised important questions of balance in
representation in a civil society forum. For these reasons, the conference
organisers offered a compromise solution, which is that two places be offered to
the delegation, to replace two others who had thus far failed to arrive.
However, the above ten individuals insisted that either all be included, or
none, and therefore decided not to participate at all. The organisers regret
this decision, and offered to invite them to participate in future
consultations, subject to considerations of political balance and budget.
Subsequently, the two original invitees who had been
delayed did arrive, and joined the forum. Two others who arrived were offered
observer status, which they accepted.
A similar offer, of four places, was made to
government-supported delegates from Southern Blue Nile. These delegates accepted
this offer.
The conference secretariat makes the following
observations:
1. Arrangements for the participation of these individuals had not been coordinated in advance with the conference organisers.
2.
For budgetary reasons, the number of participants could not be expanded
beyond the numbers originally envisaged. The organisers paid their expenses for
the two nights spent in Kampala, but not for any further extension.
The Pan African Movement and Justice Africa regret the
disappointment caused to these individuals through their inability to
participate in the forum. However they underline the importance of proper
consultation with the conference organisers in advance of the forum, and look
forward to including them on a future occasion.
The consultation was the fourth ‘Kampala Forum’
convened by Justice Africa and the Pan African Movement. The previous three
conferences, held in 1999, 2000 and 2002, focused on human rights challenges for
the reconstruction of Sudan and the issue of women’s rights. These conferences
were well-attended by individuals, organisations and political parties from
across the Sudanese political spectrum. Two important books have been published
from these conferences. Prominent individuals who attended included the
following, among many others:
· H.E. Mubarak el Fadil el Mahdi
· Amir Abdel Rahman Nugudallah
· Sid Ahmed el Hussein
· Lubaba el Fadil
· Dr Francis Deng
·
Mustafa Abdel Gadir
Justice Africa and the Pan African Movement will continue their series of consultations on the challenges of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Sudan.
Yoanes Ajawin
Director
Justice Africa
24 November 2002