Darfur rebel group calls on Sudanese official to defect from government

June 25, 2008 (LONDON) – A Darfur rebel group issued a statement today calling on Sudan’s senior presidential assistant Minni Arcua Minnawi to defect from the government.

Minnawi has been gone missing for over a month amid reports that he travelled to the Chadian capital Ndjamena and planning to suspend his participation the government.

But the ex-rebel speaking to local media denied the reports saying that he is in North Darfur inspecting his troops.

“We invite Mr. Minni Minnawi to scrap the Abuja agreement before the National Congress Party to open the door for a resolution for Darfur crisis” Mahjoub Hussain, spokesperson for Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-Unity) said today.

“The NCP is toying with humanity in Darfur” he added.

Two years ago the Sudanese government has signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction led by Minnawi who was appointed as the senior assistant of the Sudanese president in August of the same year.

However, Minnawi’s faction persistently accused the NCP of ignoring the implementation of the DPA.

But Sudan’s presidential adviser Mustafa Ismail criticized Minnawi in press reports this week saying Minnawi “must utilize the dispute resolution mechanisms outlined in the DPA”.

“We see no reason for brother Minni to stay in Darfur and make these kind of statements” he added

International experts also say more than 300,000 were killed and 2 million have been driven from their homes by the conflict in Darfur, a region that is roughly the size of France.

(ST)