45 rebels break away from Darfur LJM, denounce its leader

April 18, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Some 45 rebels from the Liberation and Justice Movement today splinted form the Liberation and Justice Movement and claimed the removal of chairman El-Tijani El-Sissi who is denounced for his dictatorship leadership.

The signatories of the statement including a deputy chairman Abdel Aziz Abu Namousha, LJM spokesperson Abdella Mursal and notorious rebel commander Ali Karbino however said they are committed to the peace process in Doha and hailed the efforts of the joint mediator and the State of Qatar.

The splinter rebels criticized Sissi for “his ambiguity in the leadership” of the group saying he froze the statutes of the Movement and dictates all the decisions without referring to LJM leadership. They also accused him of corruption saying he spent all the received financial donations without informing the competent organs.

Further, they said Sissi did not react to repeated violations of a ceasefire agreement by the government troops and did not deal seriously for the set up of a joint mechanism to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire.

Formed from small breakaway rebel factions in Doha in February 2010, the LJM is composed of two rebel groups one initially declared in 2009 in Tripoli, Libya, and the other gathered by the then US envoy to Sudan Scott Gration and called Addis Ababa group.

El-Sissi, a UN diplomat based in Addis Ababa and a former governor of Darfur, was approached to lead the group because he belongs to the Fur tribe, the largest ethnic group in the restive region.

The group recently decided the return of a number of its commanders and members to Darfur in order to reduce its presence in Doha as the talks with the government do not necessitate their presence there at the current stage.

But many criticized the decision saying they were expulsed from the venue of the peace process.

Asked to comment this dissidence, LJM chief negotiator Tajeldin Niam minimized the move saying the splinters are few and do not represent a real threat for the unity of the group.

“There are fake names and others like Karbino are no longer from the movement since a while ago,” he said. He further added that Sissi has the support of the group and this dissidence will not affect the talks.

“If they have something to blame they can come and discuss it within the framework of the Movement,” he emphasized.

LJM chairman fired in October 2010 one of his deputies, Mahgoub Hussein, who was the political affairs secretary. The group accused him of circulating false information about an imminent splitting of LJM, forging unfounded accusations against LJM leaders.

The peace talks between the group and the government in Doha are hampered by the deadlock over Darfur administrative shape as the rebels ask to establish a regional authority for the province and Khartoum refuses to satisfy this demand.

(ST)