Rebel JEM denounces Arab double standards on civilians’ protection
January 6, 2008 (LONDON) — The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) condemned the double standards of the Arab and Islamic positions in dealing with the safety and security of civilians both in Darfur and Gaza, reaffirming that the blood of civilians must be safeguarded in all wars.
Ahmed Hussein Adam, the spokesperson of the rebel JEM said his movement is observes with deep regret and sorrow the political, diplomatic and humanitarian mobilizations for the civilians in Gaza, Palestine while these countries adopted a dismissive attitude for the safety and security of civilians in Darfur when Khartoum committed genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Adam reiterated that JEM condemns all the attacks and violence against civilians in Gaza or in Israel saying it represents a clear violation of the international norms and laws related to the protection of civilians in wartime.
“What must be condemned here are double standards of the Arab position, which turned a blind eye to the crimes committed by the Sudanese government in Darfur where hundreds of thousands of civilians had been killed by the army and militias loyal to the government,” he stressed.
Ahmed further said “this position reflects a mental disorder in the Arab behavior which considers blood of the people of Darfur is less important than the blood of the people of Gaza. He added “this behavioral pattern deserves stopping to address the mental-based discrimination in race and color.
He went to say that this issue raises a question about “the seriousness and impartiality of an Arab mediator to broker peace Darfur.”
He also denounced the Arab support to the Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir who is indicted by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
More than 300,000 people have been killed and 3.5 million made refugees in Darfur since 2003, when ethnic African rebels took up arms against the Arab-led Sudanese government, accusing it of neglect and discrimination.
The government is accused of arming the Janjaweed militias as a counterinsurgency tactic, and the militiamen are blamed for widespread rapes and killings against Darfur civilians.
Another rebel leader Abdel –Wahid Al-Nur expressed dismay and sorrow for the Arab double standards towards Darfur civilians. These rebel positions reflects also rebel reticence to accept the Qatari mediation despite the intensive efforts undertaken by the Gulf state and the international support to this mediation.
(ST)