Former rebel group to send advance-delegation from Darfur
April 10, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – An advance delegation of the former rebel Justice and Equality Movement- Bashar (JEM-Bashar) is expected to head to Khartoum from Darfur within two weeks , announced the head of Darfur Peace Follow-up Offices Amin Hassan Omer.
Amin, who led the government negotiating team in Doha, told reporters on Wednesday upon his return to Khartoum from Doha, that the advance delegation will reach Khartoum from North Darfur to prepare the arrival of JEM-Bashar leadership.
He further added that the government would take all the necessary measures to ensure a quick implementation of the second agreements concluded on the basis of the Doha framework document.
Amin was speaking in a joint press conference with the head of Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Tijani Al-Sissi at the Khartoum airport after their return from Doha where they attended the donor conference and a meeting of the international follow-up commission.
The Sudanese state minister stressed that the donor conference provided an opportunity for the international community to renew its support to the DDPD as the only farm to achieve peace and stability in the western Sudanese region.
From his part, Nahar Osman; JEM-Bashar adviser confirmed to Sudan Tribune that an advance delegation will leave to Khartoum from Darma in North Darfur, where is the main base of their troops.
He said that other delegations will visit the camps of the displaced populations and refugees in the neighbouring Chad. He added that they plan to visit a number of foreign countries to explain the agreements they sealed with Khartoum.
Nahar stressed that the leadership of the group during the coming days will join its troops and hold a series of meetings to discuss their strategy for peace implementation and organisation of the troops.
Ibrahim Zaribah, JEM-Bashar top negotiator told the London based Al-Hayat newspaper that they got two positions on the federal level, a minister and a state minister besides a seat in the national parliament.
The group also will chair two of three bodies they negotiated their establishment: nomad and pastoralists commission and social care fund.
Informed sources in Khartoum confirmed what Zaribah said and added that the rebels got five ministries in the DRA government and 10 positions in the DRA parliament and a deputy speaker, besides six ministers in Darfur states and five commissioners.
Also, the power sharing agreement provides, according to the source, that more Darfurians should be appointed in the main ministries like the foreign affairs, justice and interior.
Regarding the security arrangements deal, the government agreed to exempt some leading commanders from the special conditions the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) require before to get the grade of officer in the army.
However, a special training and courses will be organised before to integrate the former leading rebel commanders in the army.
The JEM-Bashar is mainly formed from rebel commanders who followed their general commander Bakheit Abdallah Abdel-Karim (Dabajo) before to spilt in September 2011 with some 150 vehicles, according to the former rebel group.
Also, the Sudanese army and JEM-Bashar have still to agree on the number of ex-combatants. The former rebel group estimate they have some 30,000 fighters.
The two sides will proceed very soon, as part of the DDR process, to count and register and gather them in cantonment sites.
(ST)