Government bans Darfur conference

Yemen -  Arab Parliament have gathered in a side meeting after the last-minute ban by the Yemeni authorities and issued a press release to condemn the procedures taken against the conference.
 
This Wednesday May 5, 2010, Political Security blocked Arab parliaments meeting to discuss the crisis in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region.
 
“We were banned to hold the conference by the Political Security in Yemen,” said Zahir Hilal, coordinator of Arab Coalition for Darfur. The security forces did not give an explanation to this act. “They did not explain why were we banned from holding this conference, they only showed us a letter from the Embassy of Sudan.”
 
The Embassy of Sudan confirmed sending the letter. “It is not acceptable to hold a conference regarding Darfur without inviting the Embassy of Sudan as the representative of Sudan, and Darfur,” said Mohammed Ismail, the Ambassador of Sudan to Yemen. The Ambassador stressed that the conference is organized by an organization that seeks the instability of the situation in Darfur. “There is a recognized representative for Darfur by the Islamic Conference Organization located in Doha, Qatar, and this organization has other motives.”
 
According to Hilal, the conference was meant to introduce the Darfur case to the Arab parliament, and putting a plan to gain the support of the Arab parliament to contribute in solving Darfur's case.
 
The Embassy of Sudan stated that the organization behind this conference is called "Globe for Darfur," which was originally conceived by a group of NGOs working on Darfur and concerned about the slow response of the international community to the crisis. "This organization is seeking the instability of Darfur, and it has Zionist orientations," said The Ambassador of Sudan.
 
The Arab Coalition for Darfur held an earlier conference in Cairo- Egypt in 2009. According to Hilal the conference had no issues, and the security forces in Egypt did not hinder the conference. "I am wondering why the Yemeni security is involved in banning such a conference," said Hilal. "I think this is a matter of national sovereignty, but how can another country affect the decision making of Yemen?"

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