Kisumu, Kenya — Participants at the Sudan peace talks here last week resolved that all movements should immediately cease hostilities amongst themselves and commit to open dialogue to resolve political differences.

The participants further affirmed that liberation was the common and prime agenda for people of southern Sudan, Nuba Mountains, and Southern Blue Nile and that it is the people who are at the centre of the liberation struggle.

In the ten-point draft declaration issued here and dubbed the Kisumu Declaration they maintained that "self-determination is the central objective of the people's liberation struggle".

"This inalienable right of self-determination should be exercised through an internationally supervised referendum; there should be an extensive programme of civic education in preparation for the referendum," they added.

The Common commitment to self-determination, they noted, should be a unifying factor for everyone involved in the struggle for liberation.

They also sought to establish peace desks in collaboration with civil society organisations, co-ordinate and share information amongst themselves, and maintain close contact with the NSCC.

Among their resolution was that the SPLM should "clarify its position particularly in blocking participation of civilian participants to this conference vis-à-vis the National Convention (1994), Civil Society Conference (1996) and the SPLM-Church Dialogue (1997), and the democratic positions espoused in these documents concerning freedom of movement and assembly".

The SPLM was also urged to take appropriate actions to prevent those Nuer who join the movement from attacking their own people. The Nuer community, they said, should with facilitation of NSCC, bring together leaders of SSLM and SPDF to establish a framework for unity and peace.

They recommended that the Nuer peace process be expanded to include militia leaders. "The NSCC should continue and strengthen dialogue with SPLM in a timely manner to bring it and the people in the areas under its control back into the people-to-people peace process," the said.

The NSCC was also urged to "organise individual meetings with all the movement leaders to establish the foundation for a more inclusive meeting on the peace process; fully involve all elements of civil society, including youth and women, in the process of reconciliation and unification; and encourage grass-root dialogue "

They said the international community should respond to the humanitarian tragedy in all parts of southern Sudan, the Nuba Mountains, and South Blue Nile.

In addition, the international community "should establish an internationally supervised military no-fly zone covering southern Sudan, the Nuba Mountains, and Southern Blue Nile to prevent aerial bombardment of civilians".

"(They should) continue support for the IGAD-facilitated peace negotiations, which should be expanded to include the voice of civil society, based on the declaration of principles (DOP)".

All elements of southern Sudanese society, the participants added, must recognise the dire threat that HIV/AIDS poses and must take measures to prevent it.

"Exploration and exploitation of oil should cease until there is a comprehensive and just peace The practice of enslavement and trade in human beings must be condemned and halted by all elements of Sudanese society and the international community," they resolved. o