Sudanese facilitator criticises Deby’s threats to crush Darfur rebels
November 9, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The head of liaison committee with Darfur holdout groups criticised the statements of the Chadian president Idris Deby to wage war on the rebels, saying such remarks impact negatively their efforts for peace in the western Sudan region.
He is expected to meet the rebels soon during their European tour to follow discussions on ways to end Darfur conflict and bring peace in Sudan.
However, Wadah’s demarche has been belittled by the head of Darfur peace follow up office Amin Hassan Omer last week when he briefed president Bashir about the outcome of Um Jarass meeting organised by the president Deby with the Zaghawa tribal leader on 26-27 October.
Speaking in a talk show at the private Ashorooq TV on Saturday, Wadah said Deby’s threats to crush rebel groups in Darfur, particularly JEM and SLM-MM which are headed by two leaders from the Zaghawa ethnic group, are a negative messages, because the rebels by definition are inclined to confrontation.
“Our role is to advise all the parties in the government and the armed movements, and we will bring this observation to the attention of president Omer Al-Bashir”, he further stressed.
Deby reportedly gave the tribal leaders three months to convince their sons to join the Doha peace process, warning he would hunt them wherever they go like what he did with the rebels in Mali, earlier this year.
Ibrahim Gibril, JEM leader, in a recent interview with the Sudan Tribune slammed Deby’s “arrogance” adding that the Chadian president, who is also Zaghawa, set himself up as a leader of the tribe and want it to defend his regime.
“He fears that the tribe will turn its back to him, if anyone of the tribe’s sons plays an important role in Sudan. But, we are Sudanese before anything and we are concerned by what he says”, he emphasised.
(ST)