Rebel faction marks distance from new Darfur movement
September 2, 2009 (PARIS) — A Darfur rebel faction distanced itself from a unity agreement announced two days ago in the Libyan capital Tripoli and called for more talks to achieve a real unification.
In a move supported by the Libyan government six rebel groups announced the establishment of a new rebel movement called Sudan’s Liberation Revolutionary Forces (SLRF). The founding text announced that its members are: Sudan Liberation Movement/Army SLM/A-Field Leadership, SLM/A-Unity Leadership, SLM/A-Juba of Mohamed Saleh Harba, SLM/A General Line, United Revolutionary Forces Front (URFF) and SLM/A Khamis Abakar.
It was also said that another faction led by Ali Karbino, Democratic Sudan Liberation Movement would join the newly formed group.
United Revolutionary Forces Front (URFF) which had been announced as one of the signatories of Tripoli unity agreement rejected in a statement released in Tripoli this merger deal saying “The declared unity in Libya, is an attempt by some comrades to jump ahead of themselves, and we will not involve ourselves in this action.”
“Therefore we will pursue our constant efforts for a real unity based on deep understanding to our reality and that can absorb all influential figures on the ground,” said a statement signed by Yousif Ibrahim Izat, the head of URFF political bureau.
Izat who belongs to Darfur Arabs, is a relative to the famous militia leader Moussa Hilal, but he says Darfur Arabs have been misled by the Sudanese government against their interests in the region and their ancestral relations with the other ethnic groups.
The URFF was one of the signatories of a common ground agreement signed by five groups in Tripoli in March 2009 with the United Resistance Front (URF) of Abu Garda and the Sudan Liberation Movement – Unity of Abdalla Yahiya.
Izat called to continue the unity efforts and extend it to all the rebel groups including the Justice and Equality Movement led by Dr Khalil Ibrahim to reach a common understanding before to engage peace talks with the government.
Yesterday, the Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassole told Sudan Tribune he would hold a workshop for all the rebel groups in Doha in a bid to reach common positions on the different issues they would negotiate with the government.
The US envoy Scott Gration is undertaking a parallel attempt to unify three groups: the URF, SLM-Juba of Ahmed Abdel Shafi and SLM-Unity of Abdalla Yahiya. The URFF is not part of Addis Ababa coalition.
The URFF is established in October 2008 by three small factions: the Popular Front, Sudan Revolutionary Movement and the Popular Forces Front.
(ST)