New rebel group formed in South Darfur – reports
July 20, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — An armed rebel group, consisting of 4,000 men, has appeared in Al-Duayn locality in Southern Darfur State. The rebel group is formed by militia which fought beside Khartoum against the southern Sudan rebel movements before the peace, local media reported.
A new rebel group calling itself “the Justice Front” have asked the government to pay 45bn Sudanese pounds as compensation for their efforts alongside the government during the war with southern Sudan.
The rebels, who are present in six camps around Al-Duayn, seized two vehicles belonging to the United Nations organizations working in the humanitarian field in addition to other vehicles belonging to the government of the locality.
Meanwhile the commissioner of Al-Duayn locality, Brig-Gen (retd) Talha Mahmoud Musa Madibu, said the rebel group belonged to the Border Guard Forces, a name given to Janjaweed militia in Darfur. He said they had some problems relating to pay and promotions.
Madibu disclosed that intensive efforts were being made with the representative of the rebel group who were expected to arrive in Al-Duayn later.
He added that the demands of the group centred on issues of development, education and health. He noted that these demands were being tackled through the five-year plan of the state.
In the same context, the chief of the Al-Rizayqat tribe, Said Madibu, said the outlaws only represented themselves and they were small in number. He added that a negotiation committee had been formed. The committee would conduct negotiations with the rebel group on the 25th of t July.
In his statement to Al-Khartoum, Madibu condemned the seizure of the humanitarian organizations’ vehicles.
The head of Darfur MPs in the federal parliament, Abdelmoneim Ambadi, told al-Sudani that the issue of Al-Duayn, is one of the consequences of the four year war in the region of Darfur. He underscored that some tribes feel they scarified a lot to the government during the war and they deserve to be compensated. He further rejected to describe them as rebels and invited the government to negotiate with them.
(ST)