March 2, 2010 (DOHA) – The Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), formed by ten rebel groups on Tuesday February 23, announced today in Doha the names of its executive bureau and other bodies, ahead of talks with the Sudanese government on a framework agreement.

The establishment of the new rebel group had been announced hours before the signing of a framework agreement including a temporary ceasefire between the Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in a ceremony attended by the President Omer Al- Bashir, Idriss Deby of Chad, Isaias Afewerki of Eretria and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

At the time only the name of El-Tigani El-Sissi was announced as President of LJM which implies the dissolution of all the faction members in the new movement.

Darfur’s JEM, during one month of talks attempted to persuade these rebel factions to join its ranks but the former Tripoli and Addis Ababa groups said they accept only coordination.

In the composition released Tuesday in Doha, the former leader of the United Resistance Front (URF) Bahr Idriss Abu Garda is appointed Secretary General of the LJM, while Ali Abdallah Karbino is Commander in Chief of the military organization and Ali Mukhtar Ali, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The head of the rebel group, El-Sissi will be joined by five vice presidents who form the Supreme Council for the presidency.

Abdel Aziz Abu Namousha and Haider Qalokuma Atim are named Vice-Presidents without portfolios while Mahgoub Hussein is appointed Vice-President for Political Affairs, Abdel Majid Abdel Rahman Dossa Vice-President for Economic Affairs and Yacob Adam Saad Al-Nur is Vice-President for Administration and Management.

The LJM secretary is composed of 27 officials including Hashim Hamad Abdel-Rahman, as Deputy Secretary General, Sharif Jarelnabi Secretary of Foreign Relations, Mokhtar Abdel Karim Adam, Secretary of Political Affairs, Taj al-Din Bashir Nyam Secretary to Negotiations Affairs, Ibrahim Issa Muhajir, Secretary of Organization and Management, Bakhit Mohammed Khamis Secretary of Finance and Abdallah Moussa Morsal, Secretary of Information.

The new rebel group also named Ahmad Badawi Ismail as speaker of the Central Liberation Council, the parliament of the LJM and Mohamed Ibrahim Braima is the Vice-Chief of Justice.

The LJM held consultations with the mediation on a draft framework agreement they should sign with Khartoum during the upcoming days while JEM has pledged in the deal signed last month to finalize a peace deal before March 15.

However, angered by the establishment of the rebel LJM, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has threatened to withdraw its delegation from the ongoing talks with the Sudanese government over the implementation of the ceasefire.

JEM says this group has no representation in Darfur and does not have military presence on the ground. But the LJM says it is resolved to pursue its preparations expressing its readiness to hold direct talks with the government.

Also, JEM accused the government of violating the truce asking to stop military operations in Jebel Marra against the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led Abdel Wahid Al-Nur (SLM-AW) who refuses to join the peace process unless the government stops violence against civilians in Darfur.

(ST)

27 February 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Invited by the head of UNAMID, special envoys for Sudan from China, France, United Kingdom, United States and European Union met Saturday to discuss “The nexus between Peace, Security, Recovery and Development in Darfur”.

A Nigerian peacekeeper looks over a notebook with a young resident of Abu Shouk Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, North Darfur, during a UNAMID patrol (photo by UN)

Looking for a new dynamic for stability and security in Darfur, Ibrahim Gambari, UNAMID chief, seeks to create a link between the largest peacekeeping operation and the ongoing efforts for a political solution and improvement of humanitarian situation in Darfur.

The meeting welcomed the provisional peace agreement signed on Tuesday between the Sudanese Government and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and urged the two parties to implement it “without delay”.

Praising the efforts conducted by the Joint Chief Mediator Djibiril Bassole to finalize a similar framework between Sudanese government and a newly formed rebel group, the Liberation and Justice Movement led by El Tijani El-Sissi, the participants urged all the rebel movement to join the peace process quickly.

“They express the hope that these developments should translate into a speedy positive impact on the ground and call on all parties to refrain from engaging in violence,” read a statement released today from the Rwandan capital.

Mrs. Louise Mushikiwabo Rwanda’s foreign minister in a speech delivered at the opening session of the meeting urged the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to strengthen UNAMID capacity by providing the required utility transport aircrafts and to “mitigate the state of deplorable infrastructure” in Darfur in order to facilitate the ceasefire monitoring, support recovery and development, and enhance reconciliation in Darfur.

With regard to the humanitarian situation in the restive region, the statement stressed the “need to for a coordinated and dual-track approach to humanitarian relief and early recovery to consolidate gains and plan for the future”.

They also pointed out the persistence of “generalized insecurity” in the region despite the improved security and humanitarian conditions over the years, the statement said.

Dealing with justice, the participants called to end impunity and the need to try perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

The Russian special envoy Mikhail Margelov was represented by a diplomat at the embassy of his country in Kigali, while Djibril Bassole Darfur peace mediator was represented by his deputy Amb. Azouz Ennifar, said UNAMID spokesperson Noureddine Mezni.

Also were present at the meeting were the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General and the acting head of the United nations Mission in Sudan.

(ST)

February 28, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) denounced today ceasefire violations by the Sudanese army in Jebel Marra, a stronghold area of the Sudan Liberation Army led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur.

JEM “condemns the exploitation by Khartoum regime of a ceasefire outlined in the Framework Agreement signed with the Movement in February 23, 2010 to launch a sweeping attack on the positions of resistance in the Jebel Marra and to bomb peaceful villages and kill unarmed civilians,” read a statement released on Sunday.

The statement further called on the government to commit itself to the signed agreement and stop military attacks in the whole region.

The Sudanese army had intensified attacks on the positions of the SLA-AW in the mountainous Jebel Marra along through northern and southern Darfur province. The attacks are seen as military pressure to force the popular SLA-AW rebel group join the Doha peace process.

Noureddine Ganja, a SLA-AW rebel commander said the army killed some 50 civilians during a two day attack on Aradyeb Al-Asharah in northern Darfur last Wednesday and Thursday. He further reported attacks on Deribat and Kutru in southern Darfur.

JEM said the signed truce aims to create a conducive environment for the peace talks but not to give the opportunity “to pounce on innocent civilians”.

“It is absolutely unacceptable, it is not justified by a mind that really wants peace”, said the statement.

The Sudanese army denied the attacks on Jebel Marra, but aid workers confirmed intensive fighting in the region without accusing the Sudanese army. The Sudanese warplanes bombed the area before the ground attack.

This week, the mediation met with the framework agreement signatories to discuss a detailed ceasefire agreement including a joint mechanism to monitor the implementation of the truce.

The hybrid peacekeeping mission expressed readiness to extend its support to the two parties.

JEM further urged the army to stop attacks on its positions and forces until the conclusion of a ceasefire protocol and deployment of monitoring teams.

(ST)

February 23, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – Ten Darfur rebel groups currently in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar announced today that they have joined together under a new umbrella called ‘The Liberation Movement for Justice’ removing one of the major obstacles that faced the mediators in Doha as they attempted to jumpstart peace talks with the Sudanese government to resolve the seven year conflict.

Sudanese President omer Al Bashir (C) moves to greet Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), after the signing of a framework agreement in Doha February 23, 2010. (Reuters)

The Sudan Liberation Movement Revolutionary forces (SLM-RF) which includes six factions, United Resistance Forces (URF), Sudan Liberation Movement-Mainstream (SLM-M), Democratic Sudan Liberation Movement (D-SLM) and Democratic Justice and Equality Movement (D-JEM).

Today’s imminent signature of the framework agreement between Khartoum and JEM has apparently acted as a catalyst in this move which has faced stiff resistance through the years as splintering groups grew in numbers.

However, four other groups refused to join the new umbrella including SLM faction of Ahmed Abdel-Shafi, SLM-Unity, Revolutionary Forces Front, SLM faction led by Abdullah Khalil. These movements comprise mainly of Addis Ababa factions brought together by US special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration.

Mahjoub Hussein who is the Secretary General of ‘The Liberation Movement for Justice’ said during a press conference that they will not be a party to the JEM-Khartoum accord signed today and that they will sign their own framework agreement in the coming days.

He called on all groups including those who categorically refused to join them to unite expressing hope that this will materialize noting that they have not left Qatar yet.

The SLM faction led by Abdullah Khalil has revealed that the appointment of Al-Tigani Al-Sissi to lead the new umbrella is not acceptable and was pressured by “influential states” to accept that against their will in a clear reference to the US.

Separately, Ibrahim Ping the Secretary General breakaway faction of JEM led by Idris Azrag has announced that the latter is removed from his duties an criticizing him for statements directed at the mediation team.

But Azrag on his end described Ping as a hijacker of the movement and reiterating that he will not join ‘The Liberation Movement for Justice’.

Some observers express concern that JEM will fiercely resist adding its foes to the peace deal threatening to unravel the delicate process put in place. JEM has insisted that all groups present in Doha merge under its umbrella and refused otherwise any coordination with them at the negotiating table.

(ST)

February 21, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — The Arab league(AL), the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) welcomed today the peace deal signed by Sudanese government and rebel Justice and equality movement in Ndjamena yesterday.

The Sudanese parties are expected to sign a peace agreement in a bid to end the seven year conflict in Darfur on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar. Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir and his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby are expected to attend the signing ceremony.

Ndjamena’s framework agreement is a “positive and constructive step towards reaching a settlement for Darfur crisis, especially when the general elections, due to be held in April, became so close, “said Amro Moussa in a statement released in Cairo on Sunday.

OIC Secretary General, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, pointed to the important role played by Chad and the other parties to bridge the gap in viewpoints between the Sudanese government and JEM rebels, following the normalization of relations between Sudan and Chad.

While the hybrid peacekeeping mission said achieving peace in Darfur will enable the UNAMID to implement its mandate and serve the Darfur people. The spokesperson of the Mission also stressed UNAMID readiness to support the concerned parties to implement Ndjamena agreement.

(Sudan Tribune)

February 21, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government affirmed its willingness to continue dialogue with the US but warned that it will do so without abandoning its principles or interests.

“We have affirmed more than once that we are keen on [our] principles and on Sudan’s common interests in any dialogue with the U.S.,” Ghazi Salah Al-Deen, Sudanese presidential adviser, told reporters following a meeting with visiting US special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration in Khartoum.

“At the same time we welcome any sincere effort that would help in resolving the Sudanese issues. We are looking forward to an American stance that will help find solutions to all Sudan’s issues,” he added.

Gration is on a one week visit to the region where he visited Chad and Sudan for talks on the Darfur crisis, census, elections, referendum, Abyei border demarcation and post-referenda issues.

The Sudanese official said his he discussed the normalization of in his talks with Gration and obstacles preventing it.

“I have briefed the U.S. envoy on the current developments in Sudan, in particular the agreement we signed yesterday with Justice and Equality Movement (JEM),” Al-Deen said.

“The U.S. envoy welcomed the developments in the Darfur issue, represented in the framework agreement together with the ongoing arrangements to organize the elections as scheduled,” he added.

The US official has said that his government “will exert utmost efforts to push the agreement forward for realizing a lasting peace for all the Sudanese people”.

(ST)