Kibir denies differences with Darfur Regional Authority

January 19, 2013 (KHARTOUM) — The governor of North Darfur, Osman Mohamed Kibir, has denied having any differences with Tijani Al-Sissi, the head of Darfur regional Authority (DRA).

Kibir was one of the Darfur leaders opposed to signing a peace agreement with the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) on the pretext that the former rebel group had no considerable weight.

After signing the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and the DRA establishment, rumors continued on the governor of North Darfur’s putting continuous obstacles before the agreement’s path. Last December, the governor was accused of being behind an attack by the Sudanese army on LJM fighters.

In an interview with Radio El- Fasher, Kibir said that the need to differentiate between the regional authority and the Liberation and Justice Movement and not to confuse them.

He pointed to the existence of three levels of government regulating the relationship between his government and the regional authority for Darfur, represented in the national and state constitutions along with the DDPD signed by the two parties.

He added his government has exclusive powers allowing no one’s intervention and similarly does the Regional Authority, this along with the joint powers, pointing out that the common denominators between the three levels are coordination and cooperation.

Also he’s denied the state government’s involvement in the incidents of Jebel Amir, saying facts have defeated all the rumors; as some had promoted that Jebel Amir Incidents were planned with political dimensions, as the government wanted to put hand on the area rich with large quantities of gold.