LJM’s Abu Garda says willing to implement Darfur security arrangements

January 2, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) secretary general and influential military leader within the former rebel group Friday announced their readiness to finalise security arrangements ahead of April general elections.

Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, a splinter of Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) is one of the main founders of LJM which signed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011. Recently, he was accused by the group’s head of DDR implementation Haider Galu Kuma, a breakaway of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) of hampering the process.

Abu Garda seemingly is angered by the lack of support from the group’s leader, Tijani al-Sissi, for his request to integrate former combatants rejected by the Sudanese army. On 30 December 2014, he told Al-Jarida newspaper that al-Sissi is “weak and consults in everything the head of Darfur peace office, Amin Hassan Omer”.

“There is nothing to impede LJM engagement in the implementation of the security arrangements and is finalisation as soon as possible, given the political and security developments in Sudan and the remaining time period for the implementation of the security arrangements,” he said in statements he made from North Darfur where is the camp of his forces.

“This decision was taken after consultations with LJM field commanders in North, West and Central Darfur (states),” he added.

On 28 December, Galu Kuma announced the start of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme for their combatants at Domaya camp near Nyala, capital of South Darfur.

Further, in a move expressing their determination to overlook Abu Garda’s position , al-Sissi met on 29 December with Amin Hassan Omer to discuss the integration of LJM fighters in the regular forces and the participation of the group in the upcoming elections.

The head of LJM Revolutionary Transitional Council, Hussein al-Faled Mohamed Ahmed, released a statement on Friday supporting the implementation of the security arrangements and hailed the group leadership for its “tireless efforts” to implement the DDPD.

He welcomed the DDR process in Nyala and called to speed up its completion in North and West Darfur states.

The other signatory of the DDPD, Justice and Equality Movement – Dabajo finalised the implementation of the security arrangements and signed a political partnership agreement with the ruling National Congress Party ahead of the elections.

(ST)