Darfur JEM dismiss Minnawi’s accusations on foreign support
January 18, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) described as “ridiculous” allegations made by leader of former rebel group Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Minni Minnawi on countries providing political and logistical support to their movement.
“There is a joint conspiracy between JEM and some countries to make Khalil Ibrahim [JEM chief] get rid of any other factions in so he can become the John Garang of Darfur” Minnawi said.
But JEM spokesperson Ahmed Hussein Adam said that Minnawi’s remarks are driven by “hysteria” over mass defections from his group to JEM.
“He [Minnawi] has lost his sense of direction. His fighters that joined us did so voluntarily and they made their choices. We never forcibly conscripted anyone” JEM official said.
“Minnawi needs to apologize to Norway, Chad, UNAMID and SPLM for making false claims that they are backing us. They have nothing to do with us” he added.
In May 2006, the SLM signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) with the Sudanese government and its head Minnawi was appointed as the senior assistant of the Sudanese president in August.
But Minnawi have expressed frustration with implementation of the DPA saying the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) is deliberately stalling it.
JEM and SLM-Minnawi clashed this week in South Darfur near the town of Muhajriya displacing hundreds of people. Both movements claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the other side.
But UNAMID on Sunday released a statement confirming JEM was in full control of Muhajriya which was a stronghold of Minnawi.
Hussein said the fighting was provoked by Minnawi’s forces and air cover from the Sudanese military.
“Muhajriya is not Minnawi’s town. All records kept by peacekeepers since 2004 affirm that it is jointly owned by us and his movement. People there wanted to hear us so we were there peacefully on Wednesday. The next day Minnawi along with Sudanese army launched a full blown attack on us using military helicopters and aircrafts” he said.
“We stress that Minnawi is not our enemy, however he should stop coordinating with Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein [Defense minister] and cease conspiring against the people of Darfur with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP)” Hussein added.
Minnawi had denied any involvement of Sudanese units in the fighting saying the government never attacked JEM and that is a “scenario”.
UNAMID has said that Minnawi’s forces are regrouping to launch a counterattack to retake the town putting the lives of 30,000 civilians at risk.
The Sudanese government has in the last few weeks said it received intelligence information on plans by JEM to launch a major offensive following a decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the arrest warrant application against president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.
But JEM spokesperson said that they are seeking peace and working with international community for that goal.
“We are with peace and are working closely with the interested partners and the Darfur joint mediator Djibril Bassole” he said.
A Qatari mediation effort is underway to bring the Darfur warring parties together to resolve the five years Darfur conflict.
However Darfur rebel groups appeared hesitant to accept the Qatari sponsorship of talks saying that the Arab Gulf State cannot be a neutral broker given its strong relations with Khartoum.
An estimated 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur over the past five years because of fighting between rebels and Government forces, while another 2.7 million people had to flee their homes.
(ST)