20 commanders defect from Darfur peace partner – rebels

October 31, 2007 (ELFASHER) — A total of twenty rebel commanders from a former rebel movement, which signed a peace deal with Khartoum, joined the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement Unity Command (SLM-Unity), a Darfur veteran rebel said today.

Suleiman Jamous, who was freed from a UN hospital in South Kordofan, last September told Sudan Tribune that 20 commanders from the SLM faction led by Minni Minawi joined the SLM- Unity.

The defectors blamed Minawi, who is also the Senior Presidential Assistant, for human rights violations and negligence of the implementation of the peace agreement,

The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed in May 2006 between the Sudanese government and Minawi’s faction has failed to stem the violence.

Most recently the Sudanese government attacked Minawi’s bases in the town of Muhajirya using fighter jets killing at least 24 people.

Earlier this week Al-Tigani Abdullah, one of Minawi’s senior aides told Sudan Tribune that Khartoum is dragging its feet on the implementation of the DPA.

“It is almost two years since we signed the DPA and the Sudanese government has implemented only 2% of it. Even the best agreement in the world will not bring peace if one of the sides does not honor it” Abdullah said.

Abdullah hinted that his group is prepared to consider certain steps in its next meeting of the revolutionary council, the highest executive body in the movement, if the Sudanese government continues to stall on the implementation of the DPA.

Suleiman Jamous, who was freed from a UN hospital in Kadugli after 22 month of confinment last September, told Sudan Tribune that there are very positive efforts underway to build a strong and unified movement.

“Peace can’t be achieved when the rebel groups are divided” Jamous said.

Jamous is currently on the ground to help for Darfur rebels’ reunification process.

The veteran rebel explained that the defectors accused a close aide of Minawi, Arkou Suleiman Dahiya, of assassinating several leading commanders like Abdel-Shafi Arabi, Abdel-Jabar, Ahmed Haran and Khamis Issa Hassan.

The defectors are said to be outraged by what they feel as Minawi’s tendency to follow the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and its policy in Darfur.

Jamous said the dissident commanders are upset by Minnawi’s decision to disband his army despite Khartoum continuous recruitment of militias. He said that they were also unhappy by Minnawi’s negligence of the handicapped and injured soldiers in the army.

The prominent Darfuri figure added that the defectors were accompanied by around fifty soldiers arriving from different areas with minimum weapons on them ” so as not draw the attention of the enemy”.

Below are the names of the defecting commanders:

1-Mohamed Ismail Khamis, head of training unit;

2- Yahyeldin Haran, deputy commander of the medical units;

3- Mahgoub Idris Abdelrasool, chief of SLM-MM committee to implement military arrangement;

4- Mubarak Ahmed Juma, Administrator of eastern Jabal Marra sector;

5- Mubarak Saleh Minawi, military police commander in eastern Jabal Marra;

6- Ali Abdelrahman Bakheit head of training centers in South Darfur sectors;

7- Abedlkarim Issa Adam, official at intelligence service in South Darfur sector;

8- Babikir Juma Adam Omer, commander of Zamzam military area;

9 Ahmed Bakheit Ali, head of logistics in eastern Jabal Marra;

10- Hamid Mohamed Tarboush, head of intelligence in eastern Jabal Marra;

11-Mohamed Durat, artillery commander in eastern Jabal Marra;

12-Abdalla Ahmed Issa, commander of criminal police in central sector;

13-Bush Ibrahim Kharif, head of intelligence in southern al-Sika Hadid (Gurraida);

14- Shamo Musa Malay, head of military police (training center);

15-Noureddine Abdelkarim Saleh, head of transport in South Darfur;

16- Mukhtar Abakar Hamid, head of intelligence service in South Darfur sector;

17-Mukhtar Ahmed Sandal, director of the office of the general [as received];

18- Haroun Abdelrahman Haroum, head of training centers in southern al-Sika Hadid;

19- Ismail Ahmed Mohamed, head of medical unit in central sector;

20-Adem Saleh Adem, head of training unit in eastern Jabal Marra.

(ST)