22 June 2009 -- The African Union Panel on Darfur (AUPD), which is examining the root causes of the Darfur conflict and aiming to promote justice and reconciliation, held public hearings over the weekend across the region.

Chaired by former South African president Thabo Mbeki, and comprising former Burundian president Pierre Buyoya and former Nigerian president Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as other African dignitaries, began its hearings on 20 June in El Fasher, North Darfur, before conducting similar hearings the following day in the South Darfur capital of Nyala.

The hearings are aimed at listening to the voices of Darfurians and other stakeholders to determine how best to expedite the peace process to create conditions conducive to promote justice, healing, and reconciliation in Darfur.

The AUPD also conducted hearings with native administrators, women, youth, and representatives from the Sudan Liberation Movement/Abdul Wahid faction (SLM/W) in the North Darfur village of En Siro, and with Sudanese political parties in Khartoum last week. Further hearings will be held this week in El Geneina and Zalingei, both in West Darfur.

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