Sudan says JEM rebels do not want peace in Darfur

March 26, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government contested the seriousness of the participation of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the Doha talks saying they just want to give the impression they are part of the peace process.

The Justice and Equality Movement is in Doha to mislead the international community and give the impression they are participating in the peace process, said the government chief negotiator Amin Hassan Omer in a radio talk show aired on Friday.

The rebel group in May 2010 suspended its participation in the Doha peace talks to protest attacks by the Sudanese army on its positions in Darfur despite the signing of a truce in February of last year.

The group however returned to Doha and agreed to resume peace talks with the government in December. After what, the mediators submitted to the two parties a draft agreement for a cessation of hostilities.

The government however showed indifference to the return of the rebel and decided to withdraw its negotiating team as the talks with the rebel Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) were deadlocked over Darfur administrative status and a post of vice-president.

Amin hinted at the implication of JEM fighters in the Libyan crisis saying the rebel group is just waiting the outcome of the fight between the forces loyal to Gaddafi and the insurgency. However the rebel group strongly denied its participation in the defense of the crumbling regime.

The Sudanese official further denounced a recent agreement on political coordination between JEM and LJM saying the former aim to drag the talks back to square one.

He added they warned LJM that the signing of the recent agreement with JEM is a violation of a ceasefire agreement they signed in March 2010 because the latter did not yet sign similar agreement with the government.

The mediation received last week the responses of the three parties on the four chapters it suggest their adoption before to resume talks on the pending issues: the administrative status of Darfur; the scope of the powers of the Darfur Regional Authority and its link with other levels of Government; the participation of rebel groups in the various institutions of power, permanent ceasefire and final security arrangements; and the Mechanisms and guarantees for the implementation of the peace agreement.

Next April, a meeting for all the stakeholders will be organized by the mediation to “enable the establishment of a broad base ownership for the outcomes, in order to achieve a final and comprehensive peace agreement for Darfur”.

Amin said his government is committed to the Doha process and will not withdraw from the forum. He however emphasized that government would not abandon its internal plan to bring peace in Darfur.

He also said the solution of Darfur crisis in not in the hands of the rebel groups.
The solution of the crisis “is not in their pockets, and we tell them keep your keys in your pockets, but we can use other keys”

(ST)