Rebel JEM rejects Darfur deal, seeks Slovenian mediation
May 29, 2006 (CAIRO) — A Darfur rebel faction which faces a May 31 deadline to sign a deal to end fighting in western Sudan said on Monday it would not join the agreement without major changes. Further the rebel group leader said he looks for Slovenian mediation.
The African Union (AU) has threatened sanctions against the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and a faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) unless they sign the deal agreed on May 5 between the main SLA faction and the Sudanese government.
JEM President Khalil Ibrahim said he would travel for talks on Tuesday to Slovenia, which he said was trying to find common ground between the AU and the rebel groups refusing to sign the AU-sponsored deal.
“We are going to meet tomorrow on the 30th in Ljubljana, this is to find a way. Slovenia is trying to find a solution,” Ibrahim told Reuters in Cairo by telephone.
“We are going to present our position. If they can make amendments in this agreement. If not I don’t think there is a solution,” he said.
Ibrahim said the SLA faction which had rejected the May 5 agreement would also attend the Ljubljana meeting.
“We are not going to sign this agreement unless there is a radical change including real regional government for Darfur, and reconstruction of Darfur, compensation for our people and a fair share of power,” he said.
There was no immediate word from Slovenia on their role in Sudan’s peace process.
African Union regretted the Slovenian president launched a peace initiative on Darfur without any consultations with the AU mediation; Ambassador Sam Ibok said on February 26 when he received the personal envoy of the Slovenian president.
The Head of the AU Mediation Team, Sam Ibok, said that any political initiative outside the ongoing Abuja Process would, “at this point in time, only serve the purpose of distracting the Parties and diverting their attention away from the critical issues that are the subject of substantive negotiations in this final phase of the Peace Talks, when the AU is striving to build bridges and forge consensus between the Parties”.
(ST/Reuters)