JEM slams Sudan Darfur peace accord ultimatum
March 22, 2010 (PARIS) — The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) today rejected an ultimatum made by the Sudanese government to reach a peace deal in Darfur.
Last week, the Sudanese Presidential Adviser in charge of Darfur file, Ghazi Salah Al-Deen gave 2nd of April as deadline to conclude the talks that started earlier this year and led to a temporary ceasefire between the two sides.
“They are free to make their own deadlines. As far as we are concerned our negotiation strategy is based on resolving outstanding issues so whether it takes a day, a week or a year the most important thing is that it creates the ground for credible and sustainable peace for our people in Darfur” JEM spokesperson Ahmed Hussein told Sudan Tribune.
“We call on the mediation to distance themselves from Ghazi’s remark. He has done that before and came up in all arrogance seeking to impose his deadlines upon all parties. Doha was supposed to be a neutral venue for peace talks. It is important that the mediation assert that” Hussein said.
After failing to sign a peace agreement at an initial date, March 15, the Sudanese government and JEM agreed last week in Ndjamena to resume negotiations in Doha to finalize a ceasefire agreement while they continued to exchange propositions on the power and wealth sharing issues.
The two parties are expected to end talks in the Chadian capital Ndjamena and to arrive in Doha, official venue for the talks, in order to tackle the remaining issues in the peace negotiations.
Ghazi said he is optimistic regarding the outcome of the ongoing talks with the rebel group stressing that international pressures would force JEM to bow to reality and move toward peace.
He also said he would travel to the Chadian capital for additional meetings with JEM chairman Khalil Ibrahim to assess “whether he is resolved to reach a final peace agreement”.
The Sudanese presidential adviser further said JEM has changed its mind on the issues delay of elections
However, Hussein today categorically denied any change in JEM’s position with regard to elections.
“It is not true that we backed away from our demands on delaying the elections. They [government] says we don’t have a say in that then how did they manage to do it in South Kordofan?” he questioned.
This month, Sudan elections commission postponed partially electoral process in South Kordofan state after the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) objected to census results saying it unfairly impacted the drawing of geographical constituencies.
Today, the National Election Commission (NEC) insisted that the April general elections will go as planned.
(ST)