JEM says former Darfur rebels and Sudan plotting against them

August 1, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Monday accused a leading member of the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) which signed a peace agreement with the government, of working to divide their group.

JEM which part of the Doha peace process refused to sign a framework document crafted to bring peace in Darfur and asks to open the text for talks. But Khartoum rejects the request saying it can only discuss their participation in the national and regional institutions and the security arrangements to integrate their combatants.

JEM spokesperson Gibreel Adam Bilal claimed that Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, LJM Secretary General, is involved in a plan aiming to dismantle their group in collaboration with presidential adviser Mustafa Osman Ismail.

Gibreel also accused the Chadian government of being part of the scheme. Ismail was in Ndjamena last week and signed a number of bilateral agreements to enhance political and economic ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Composed of splinter groups from the Sudan “Liberation” Movement and “Justice” and Equality Movement the Liberation and Justice Movement meant in its name to refer to the two groups to indicate their origins, but its leader Tijani El-Sissi was not part of any.

JEM spokesperson wondered if El-Sissi was aware of this plan. “If he is not party to this plot he has to prove himself with practical steps,” Gibreel said.

Abu Garda who is a former figure of the Justice and Equality Movement left the group in September 2007 to protest the removal of JEM former commander in chief, Abdalla Banda.

LJM military commanders returned from Doha to Darfur last week to work out with the Sudanese army the initial process of the security arrangements agreed with government on 16 July.

(ST)