Darfur’s LJM to take new measures on DDPD: official
January 19, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The head of Darfur’s Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) Revolutionary Council, Bakheet Ismail Dahia, announced on Monday that it plans to undertake a set of measures regarding the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).
The two groups admitted the split and are now officially registered as two political parties ahead of the general elections scheduled for April 2015. However despite the effectiveness of the schism, the two parties continue to exchange hostile statements through the media.
Dahia said at a press conference on Monday that they are currently evaluating their current situation following the preliminary approval of the registrar of political parties to transform their movement into a political party under the name of LJM.
He underscored that the Sudanese government has the power to form a new executive body for the DDPD in cooperation with Qatar, noting that the government does not take the side of al-Sissi but is committed to its relationship with the LJM.
The Sudanese government seems appeared indifferent to the dissidence or its impact on the peace process in Darfur.
The head of Darfur peace office and state minister Amin Hassan Omer told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that the conflict within LJM will not affect the DDPD implementation.
“The current differences will not affect the agreement because the movement itself will turn into two parties,” Omer said.
Dahia denied that al-Sissi has been dismissed from LJM, saying he was only sacked from his position but he is still a member of the movement.
He attributed the decision to sack al-Sissi to his failure to run the LJM, emphasizing that nobody could revoke the Revolutionary Council’s decision to relieve al-Sissi including Khartoum.
He called on al-Sissi to participate in the general convention of the LJM, which will be held on 10 February, saying he has the right to run for the office of the movement’s chairman anew.
The head of the Revolutionary Council also denied that they rejected mediation efforts between the two groups, saying they accept reconciliation efforts but will not renew confidence in al-Sissi.
He renewed accusations that al-Sissi refused to pay any visits to LJM offices in all Darfur states, claiming that his main concern was to sit in his own office.
At a press conference held on Sunday, Ahmed Fadel, the spokesperson of al-Sissi’s group said there were efforts by many Darfuri MPs to reconcile the two factions but that Abu Garda breached an agreement to stop hostile statements and public criticism.
Since its inception, LJM which is a coalition of different small factions, witnessed several rifts during the peace talks and after the signing of the DDPD.
However, this split is the most serious one within a group participating in the national government.
(ST)