Sudan’s al-Bachir to issue amnesty decree for Darfur deal signatories

June 10, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese President, Omer al-Bashir, will issue in the coming days a decree on general amnesty for the rebel groups who signed Darfur peace agreement.

The Presidential Advisor and member of the Higher Committee for Darfur Issues, Magzoub al-Khalifa, said that the proposed amnesty decree comes in response to a message which was sent by the leader of the signatory Sudan Liberation Movement, Menni Minawi, to President Omer Al-Bashir.

Sudanese government and the main faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi signed on 5 May the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). On 8 June splinter rebel leaders from the SLM al-Nur faction and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) signed a commitment to the DPA in Addis Ababa.

Al-Khalifa pointed out that the peace agreement is on the way to the Federal parliament chambers — National Assembly and Council of the States — for ratification and to be part of the Constitution.

Al-Khalifa said that the meetings and contacts between the government and the signatory parties of Darfur peace agreement and the African Union are continuing, adding that arrangements are being adopted to implement the agreement.

In a press statement issued by the Secretary General of SLM-Minawi, Mustafa Tairab, the rebel group said that its delegation will not arrive to the Sudanese capital until the government implements its engagements in accordance with the DPA, and present a plan to disarm the Janjaweed militias.

The SLM Minawi said the Sudanese government is not serious in the implementation of the DPA because Khartoum still harasses and arrests Darfurians. The Janjaweed militias pursue attacks against civilians in total impunity, Tairab said.

Human rights violations and Janjaweeds attacks constitute a clear breach of the signed peace agreement, the SLM-Minawi said.

(ST)