JEM leader sacks prominent members over meeting with RSF second commander
August 14, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The head of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Gibril Ibrahim, Monday removed prominent leading members from the organization, including Suleiman Sandal, the official responsible for security arrangements, and Ahmed Tugud, the Movement’s chief negotiator.
The decision comes in light of undisclosed disagreements among JEM leaders following secret meetings held last month by the dismissed officials with Abdelrahim Dagalo, the second commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in Chad’s capital.
The JEM leader’s decision did not provide an explanation for the dismissal of the four leadership members: Suleiman Sandal, Ahmed Tugud, Adam Issa Hasabo, responsible for the Kordofan region, and Mohamed Hussein Sharaf, deputy secretary for organization and administration.
Hassan Ibrahim Fadl, the movement’s spokesperson, told Sudan Tribune that the dismissal of these leaders was carried out in accordance with the organization’s statutes and regulations, following an internal investigation committee’s assessment.
Fadl emphasized that these four members had wielded considerable influence within the movement and were recognized for their prolonged dedication. He added, “While we honour their contributions to the movement, our foremost aim remains the institution’s integrity and preserving the movement’s capacities above all.”
He continued, “We value their history with the movement, yet the prevailing circumstances guide our actions.”
Insiders informed the Sudan Tribune that the dismissed group is contemplating a split, and their leaders have initiated discussions with several individuals to join the emerging faction.
Internal divisions within the Justice and Equality Movement surfaced recently, triggered by Suleiman Sandal’s remarks about a third party fueling the ongoing conflict and advocating for its continuation. Sandal called upon the Sudanese to intervene to halt what he called a “Holocaust.”
In response, Gibril Ibrahim swiftly clarified that Sandal’s statements did not represent the Movement’s official stance; instead, they expressed Suleiman Sandal’s personal viewpoints.
On July 17, a prominent member of JEM revealed to the Sudan Tribune that the organization’s leader intends to take punitive measures against senior officials who held a covert meeting with RSF’s second-in-command in Chad.
Reports about last July’s meeting between JEM officials and Dagalo in N’Djamena say the two sides explored strategies to incorporate the RSF into future political initiatives.
He disclosed that Jibril communicated with Suleiman Sandal and Tugud to clarify the motivations behind their interaction with the RSF deputy leader.
The official underscored that the behaviour of these leading members had angered the movement’s head and its executive office, as it contradicted the official stance of neutrality regarding the war between the army and the paramilitary group.
(ST)