LJM dissidents say seeking to be part of Doha peace talks
April 19, 2011 (DOHA) — The breakaway group of the Liberation and Equality Movement (LJM) said they are in contact with the mediation in order to participate in the peace talks as an independent party besides LJM of El-Sissi and Justice and Equality Movement.
“We are in touch with the mediation, and as we endorsed all what is agreed at the negotiating table we are preparing to participate in the talks with the government and also seek to coordinate with JEM,” said the LJM deputy president for the Native Administration Ahmed Mohamed Omer.
Ahmed, who is currently in the Qatari capital, went further to say they want to persuade all those who are not part of the Doha process to join them in order to achieve an inclusive peace agreement with the government.
Asked whether they established a contact with the Sudanese government in order to get their recognition and join the talks, the dissident rebel said they have not yet established contacts but they will seek to reach the government delegation in this respect.
Today, the mediators addressed a letter to the three parties urging them to speed up the direct talks announcing that a draft peace agreement will be handed for their final consideration on 27 April.
No mention has been made to the dissident group by the mediation.
Ahmed stressed that their decision to move away from the group was mainly motivated by the “dictatorial leadership” of its chairman El-Tijani El-Sissi.
“You should know that our move is fully directed against Dr El-Sissi who had been chosen to unite Darfur people but he monopolized the movement; and instead of practicing the collective leadership he instituted one man dominance,” he emphasized.
LJM forces commander in chief Ali Karbino was among the 45 signatories of the dissidence statement besides including a deputy chairman Abdel Aziz Abu Namousha and LJM spokesperson Abdella Mursal.
The splinter rebel official who represents Karbino blamed Sissi for not exerting the necessary efforts to set up the Ceasefire Commission (CFC) agreed in a truce signed with the government on 18 March 2011.
“Our troops on the ground are subjected to government attacks but he did nothing to press for the establishment of the monitoring mechanism despite the fact we appointed our representatives in the CFC,” he added.
Ahmed who claimed that all the LJM forces led by commander Karbino on the ground support their move against El-Sissi, denied the inclusion of any fake names in yesterday statement.
Karbino was involved in recent clashes between the government and the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) groups of Abdel Wahid Al-Nur and Minni Minnawi and JEM.
However, Ahmed stressed that LJM commander in chief was always responding to the attacks of the Sudanese army on their positions.
“He was acting in legitimate self-defense” he said.
(ST)