Darfur JEM says election delay crucial, Bashir rejects talks’ exclusivity
March 9, 2010 (PARIS) – The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) today said that the postponement of April general election is crucial to reach a lasting settlement for the seven year conflict in Darfur.
After two weeks of delay since the signing of a framework agreement, direct talks between Sudan’s government and rebel JEM will start on Wednesday instead of Tuesday as it was previously scheduled.
JEM was threatening to suspend its participation in the talks saying no separate and simultaneous negotiations can be held with another rebel group, Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) recently formed in Doha.
On Monday Bashir warned JEM that they will not impose on Khartoum who to negotiate with in Doha.
“We will not accept to be forced to adopt a position who wants to be negotiated with separately without the others and we will [have] dialogue with all for a comprehensive and sustainable peace in Darfur” Bashir said during an elections rally in Nyala in South Darfur.
He also said that anyone who refuses to join the Doha talks will isolate himself and pay a high price adding that they are determined to establish peace and security in the entire region.
The second largest rebel movement in Darfur led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur who heads the Sudan Liberation Army refuses to join any talks before establishing security on the ground. In the last few weeks his forces came under attack from Sudanese army in his bases in Jebel Marra.
The Doha talks is supposed to mainly focus on the 12 point defined in the framework agreement of February 23, but JEM spokesperson Ahmed Hussein Adam emphasized on Tuesday that the delay of elections is a cornerstone for a lasting and comprehensive peace.
“In a paper filed today to the mediation we stressed that the postponement of April election should top the agenda of the talks because it will determine if the priority is peace or election,” said Ahmed Hussein.
The official spokesperson further said that the continuation of his group in the peace process depends mainly on the delay of election; stressing only the ruling NCP of Omer Al-Bashir is prioritizing the electoral process.
Darfur powerful rebels accuse president Omer Al-Bashir of seeking to ensure his election and ask the international community to suspend an arrest warrant released by the International Criminal Court against him.
Ahmed also said the delay is needed to accomplish a number of key steps for peace in Darfur and democratic transition.
The delay is necessary to implement a comprehensive peace in Darfur and allow the return of displaced people and refugees to their homeland and receive the compensation, he said.
Further he pointed out the need to conduct a new population census and election registration and to amend the law restricting public freedoms. In addition, he said JEM wants to reform the national Election Commission and creation of a national information commission to administrate the NCP controlled media.
“The organization of elections under the current condition will lead the country to another catastrophe and the dismemberment of the country but certainly not to democratic transition or political stability” he said.
The International Criminal Court last year issued an arrest warrant Bashir for war crimes in Darfur, where the United Nations estimates 300,000 have died in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Bashir hopes a victory in April’s presidential election will legitimize his government in defiance of the warrant.
(ST)