Darfur peace partner to meet with JEM leader
September 6, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the only Darfur rebel group to sign a peace agreement with Khartoum will meet with the Justice and Equality (JEM) chief Khalil Ibrahim.
If the meeting takes place it would be the first time JEM leader meets with a Sudanese official since the failed rebel attack last May on the capital.
Khartoum has labeled JEM as a terrorist organization and urged the world to officially adopt this designation.
Minnawi also said in the interview with Miraya that he would run for president in the 2009 elections only if peace is “realized in Darfur”.
He also criticized the Sudanese political parties and accused them of ignoring the Darfur crisis.
Minnawi left the Sudanese capital 4 months ago and informally suspended his participation in the government leading to speculations that he defected from the government of national unity.
It was reported at the time that he arrived in the Chadian capital and met with President Idriss Debi. However the former rebel leader firmly denied these reports.
Minnawi stressed to Sudan Tribune in an interview last month that he has no intention of returning “until there is good will from NCP [National Congress Party]”.
Two years ago the Sudanese government has signed the DPA with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction led by Minnawi who was appointed as the senior assistant of the Sudanese president in August of the same year.
However, Minnawi’s faction persistently accused the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of ignoring the implementation of the DPA.
UN experts estimate some 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes. Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.
(ST)