Mianwi troops facing tragic situation in Darfur – former rebel
June 27, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The military leadership of former rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Minawi’s faction, has launched strong criticism against the tragic situation facing the movement’s army, describing the situation as intentional, aimed at separating Minawi from his military leadership.
According to the Darfur Peace Agreement the rebel forces have to be integrated into the Sudanese army and police: Four thousand former rebels to be included in the army and other one thousand into the police. The DPA also speaks about education and training programs for three thousand rebels.
Minawi since is designated as Senior Presidential Assistant but has no real power on the ground while his troops, who are mainly Zaggawa are stationed in Greida in South Darfur, in a hostile environment because they are not supported by the inhabitant of the area from the Massalite ethnic group.
However its military wing still has not disarmed, as the security arrangements agreed during the signing of the Abuja agreement have not yet been implemented.
Darbin said this was a plan to separate the leader of the movement, Minawi, from his army. He added the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) did not give Minawi any authorities. “He is a man who is powerless, his forces were crushed before him in Al-Muhandisin – a suburb of Khartoum — incident, and that is a proof that he has no authorities.”
Meanwhile, Darbin said that most of the people who are in the Darfur Interim Authority are not members of the SLM, Minawi’s faction but are mostly “opportunists”. Darbin has warned against a crisis that will happen on the ground if the government is not be serious in providing non-military logistic support to SLM’s military wing.
(ST)