No plans to release JEM POW’s without ceasefire: Sudan
August 2, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government said it will not release any prisoners from the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) without a progress in peace talks and a ceasefire.
Ismail said that if the government was to release the captives, they would take part in the fighting in Darfur.
Last month JEM freed 60 POW’s from the Sudanese army as it has pledges last May.
On May 28, JEM delegation in Doha where it was holding talks with the Sudanese government said it would free unilaterally 60 POWs from the Sudanese army. According to rebel officials, the delay was caused by technical preparation by the Red Cross and security conditions.
The agreement signed by JEM and Khartoum in Doha says that both sides shall swap prisoners as a gesture of goodwill and a confidence building measure.
The statements by Ismail conflict with those made by Sudan’s foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Ali Al-Sadiq who told Voice of America (VOA) in mid-July that the government will announce shortly the release of an undetermined number of JEM POW’s.
“The government has welcomed the move, and [it] will reciprocate very soon,” he said.
Ismail further called on media outlets not to use the term POW’s to describe JEM captives saying they are Sudanese nationals used to attack Omdurman capital city last year and will be prosecuted accordingly.
The position by Khartoum will likely complicate efforts to bring JEM and Khartoum back to the negotiating table.
Today the director of communications at JEM Jibreel Ibrahim told the UN sponsored Miraya FM that his movement will not sign a ceasefire without releasing its POW’s.
The African Union-United Nations mediation, hopes that Sudanese authorities would release some of the 103 death sentenced of JEM members in relation to the rebel group attack on the capital last year.
(ST)