Darfur rebels sack leading member days before signing peace deal

October 18, 2010 (DOHA) — The chairman of the rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) fired today one of his deputies after the circulation of a false press release last week relieving the leader of the group from his position.

El-Tijani El Sissi, in a decision issued Monday discharged Mahgoub Hussein vice chairman for political and media’s affairs from his post. According to a statement released by the LJM, the decision is taken upon the findings of an investigation committee.

Mahgoub is accused by the group of “circulating false information about an imminent splitting of LJM, forging unfounded accusations against LJM leaders. Furthermore, he is disseminating baseless allegations against LJM, and continuous defamation of the LJM’s image,” said the statement.

Rebel sources said Hussein issued on October 16 a false statement signed by Ahmed Badawi, head of LJM Central Liberation Council relieving El-Tijani El-Sissi from his position. Badawi denied publically any link with the statement.

The recommendation to discharge Mahgoub Hussein was submitted by a committee headed by the vice-chairman Hydar Jalcuma and approved by LJM leadership council, Sudan Tribune has learned.

The rebel sources said Mahgoub was working since awhile ago to sabotage the unity of the group. He is also blamed for calling to adjourn the talks in order to establish a new reunification of rebel groups including Justice and Equality Movement.

The sacked leading member was appointed earlier this year as Secretary General of the Sudan Liberation Movement – Revolutionary Forces during a unity conference held in Kufra, Libya. This rebel SLM-RF later merged in the LJM which was established in Doha on February 23 of this year before to engage talks with the Sudanese government.

SIGNING PEACE AGREEMENT

LJM rebels are terminating peace talks with the Sudanese government and expected to sign a peace deal with Khartoum before the end of this month.

The mediation will hold Tuesday a meeting with the two delegations to review the work of five subcommittees negotiating on the different issues defined in a framework agreement signed on March 18.

Tadjadine Bechir Niam, LJM secretary for peace negotiations, told Sudan Tribune that two panels tackling wealth sharing and IDPs return and compensation have finalized its works, while the remaining committees will submit reports on the outstanding issues.

The different committees formed by the parties to negotiate a peace agreement are: Wealth Sharing, Compensation and Return of IDPs and Refugees, Security Arrangements, power Sharing and Administrative Status of Darfur, Justice and Reconciliation. Besides that there is the steering committee.

Niam said the steering committee headed by the mediator Djbril Bassole and the state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud will discuss the outstanding issues with the two parties and will formulate compromises.

“Everything should be finished on October 25,” he added.

Asked to comment on the issue of Mahgoub Hussein, Niam said the decision was taken after a probe led by the leadership of the group, but he refused to give further details stressing “the cohesion of the group around its leader is undamaged”.

(ST)