Sudan’s FM instigated killing of Sudanese civilians in Bentiu, says JEM

April 25, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has renewed accusations that foreign minister Ali Karti is the main instigator of the killings of Sudanese civilians in South Sudan.

In a statement issued on 21 April, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) confirmed that more than 200 civilians had reportedly been killed and over 400 wounded at a Bentiu mosque after the town was captured by rebel forces a week before.

UNMISS has also accused the rebel SPLM-In-Opposition of separating civilians along tribal lines, saying Sudanese Darfuris were specifically targeted and killed at the hospital along with other civilians.

On Wednesday, Sudan’s foreign ministry issued a statement accusing Juba of using Sudanese rebel groups in its fight against rebels allied to former vice-president Riek Machar, saying the move constituted a violation of security agreements signed between the countries.

JEM spokesperson Jibril Adam Bilal said that Karti continued to make arbitrary accusations in the knowledge they could potentially cause harm to Sudanese nationals in South Sudan.

He claimed Karti was also behind accusations that JEM had been participating in fighting in Libya during the revolution which led to the killing of thousands of Sudanese civilians, as well as black Africans.

“Statements made by Karti and senior government officials were behind the killing of thousands of Sudanese people,” he said

Bilal said the top diplomat should be more prudent and representative of all Sudanese people, but said he was not surprised by the latest statements given Karti’s hardline approach and track record for targeting marginalised citizens.

“He (Karti) is practicing his favourite killing hobby as if he still works for the Popular Defence Forces (PDF),” he said.

Karti was the commander of Sudan’s paramilitary PDF forces throughout the 1990s.

(ST)