JEM rebels urge Khartoum to stop attacks and delay election
March 11, 2010 (CAIRO) — The Justice and Equality Movement today renewed its call for the delay of elections and urged international community to press Khartoum to stop attacks on civilians in Jebel Marra.
In accordance with a framework agreement signed last month with the Sudanese government, JEM should sign a peace agreement ending seven years of rebellion in the war ravaged Darfur on March 15, but talks between the two parties did not yet start.
JEM said all the other rebels should merge with it but also calls for elections delay stressing no peace deal can be concluded if the electoral process is not stopped until the implementation of a number of measures that should be included in the peace agreement.
According to the rebel group, election should be delayed to allow the IDPS return to their homeland, to conduct a new population census and election registration but also to amend legislations restricting public freedoms.
Besides its request for election delay, JEM condemned attacks on rebel SLM led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur saying the ceasefire they signed meant to protect civilians in the whole Darfur without distinction.
“The recent attacks on civilians in Jebel Marra demonstrate once again that Khartoum cannot be trusted as a credible stakeholder;” said Ahmed Hussein Adam; JEM official spokesperson who termed “opportunistic behavior” the attacks on Jebel Marra.
“We did not sign the ceasefire to increase the suffering of civilians in other parts of the region, and we condemn particularly the sporadic bombing of local population in Jebel Marra.”
Ahmed said JEM is considering the situation adding these violations may push them to take a radical decision.
On February 24 after the signing the framework agreement in Doha, President Al-Bashir, speaking in El-Fasher, said war in Darfur is over but pledged to put the necessary pressure on those who refuse this option, referring to the rebel SLM-AW which asks to disarm militiamen before to take part in peace talks.
The spokesperson said their demand for delay of election should not affect the referendum on self-determination and elections in southern Sudan. “We can understand the run of elections in southern Sudan,” he said.
He further warned that they can suspend their participation in Doha peace process appealing on international community to put pressure on Khartoum.
“If the government refuses to postpone the elections we may reject peace, because peace should be prioritized not elections,” JEM said.
Darfur rebels say President Omer Al-Bashir is keen to ensure his election this year to pretend he is democratically elected, enabling him-self to ask the UN Security Council to suspend an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
(ST)
okucu pa lotinokwan
JEM rebels urge Khartoum to stop attacks and delay election
JEM rebels,all those years the aim of your fighting for the community of Darfuri is only for the delay of the April election? where is the real objectives for your fighting? join the election poll and vote for Yasir Arman so you have perament peace,than to be decieve by the NCP party,and tomorrow you go back to the war.Think twice.
Time1
JEM rebels urge Khartoum to stop attacks and delay election
JEM should be focusing on discussions of the peace agreement framework reached in Doha, they should think of ways to achieve rights of Darfur people, should think of brining all Darfur forces together under one umbrella, JEM should not focus to much on power and money, because if they listen to Turabi they will soon find themselves drawn inside and no way out. JEM should not waste time making stupid speeches, no one has time to wait for them in this elections, they should have raised that issue long time not making noises when elections in just a few week away, it is too late to postpone the elections now, if JEM complete their talks with NCP then they are free to hold their own elections in Darfur.