Darfur rebels deny plans for sabotage in the Sudanese capital
May 10, 2008 (LONDON) — Justice and Equality Movement has denied planning to carry out sabotage operations in the Sudanese capital, the rebel group also said yesterday clashes with Sudanese army in the border area were with JEM troops.
The armed forces and security services warn since two days that JEM rebels plotting to conduct sabotage attempt and a publicity stunt through infiltrating the capital and other towns.
Khartoum is under draconian security measures clampdown since Thursday. Bridges were closed and checkpoints set up in the streets, forcing many people to stay at home.
Ahmed Hussein Adam told Sudan Tribune that JEM had never attacked civilians in any part in the country. He further accused the Sudanese government of “practicing ethnic cleansing” against Darfuris in the capital.
The rebel spokesperson also denied in the strongest terms Sudanese army claims that it fought against Chadian troops in border area of Kashkash in West Darfur.
“These allegations are attempting to distort the reality on the ground and to involve others in Darfur conflict, as well as to justify attacks against the civilians in Darfur” Ahmed Adam said.
“They try to cover the massacres they commit in Darfur as it was the case in Shegeg Karo school in northern Darfur and Jebel Maidob in western Darfur.”
Darfur Diaries Project reported that an army Antonove plane attacked on Sunday, May 4 the village of Shegeg Karo in North Darfur. Six students were killed and others injured following the hit of the area school. The Shegeg Karo market was also hit and 20 shops were destroyed. A reported 5-6 people were killed in the market and others injured.
Ahmed reiterated JEM commitment to human rights convention and international humanitarian law saying they had and will never target civilians in any part of the country.
“We respect all the Sudanese and we do not discriminate between civilians in the north, in the south, in the east or in the west of the country”
The Sudanese defence minister informed the First vice President Salva Kiir, who is currently in Juba, about the measures undertaken by the security service in the capital and the Sudanese army operations in Darfur.
However Ahmed Hussein Adam, accused the National Congress Party of trying to mislead the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. He renewed JEM support to the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
The surge in violence in western Sudan increased doubts over prospects for peace in Darfur.
The UN and the African Union envoys Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim in a press release issued yesterday said the rise of violence bring further urgency to the need to start talks on security issues.
The five-year-old conflict has driven 2.5 million from their homes with international experts estimating some 300,000 have died. Khartoum says only 10,000 people have been killed.
(ST)