JEM rebels says ready for POWs swap
April 1, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Darfur’s rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on Wednesday has expressed readiness to release prisoners of war (POWs) within the framework of the Sa’ihoon initiative.
The Sa’ihoon, a group of former Islamist fighters and members of the paramilitary, Popular Defence Forces (PSf) who in 2013 distanced themselves from the government of president Omer al-Bashir and demand the end of war and democratic reforms.
JEM spokesperson, Jibril Adam Bilal, welcomed in a press statement the Sa’ihoon initiative which calls for the end of war, release of POWs, reconciliation and improvement of humanitarian conditions in conflict areas.
Bilal said his movement and its allies in the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the opposition forces have developed an integrated view to end the war, stressing the government is not keen to reach any political settlement to end the war.
“However we welcome any initiative calling for the end of war and addressing its root causes”, he added.
The rebel spokesperson underscored his movement has a proven track record of dealing with POWs according to the international humanitarian law and conventions, pointing they had previously released dozens of government POWs unilaterally for humanitarian reasons.
“The issue of POWs is a moral issue but our hostages receive the worst kind of treatment from the government and hence we demand it to deal with them in a gentle manner before it releases them”, he added.
He expressed readiness to engage in any process which aims to release POWs, warning against the worsening humanitarian conditions in conflict areas.
Bilal said the extremely bad humanitarian conditions were caused by the government expulsion of the foreign aid groups besides placing restrictions on the provision of assistance for the needy population in the IDPs camps.
Immediately after the first arrest warrant of the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Sudan’s president Omer al-Bashir in March 2009, Sudan also expelled 13 aid groups from Darfur accusing it of collaborating with the war crime courts.
Since then, the Sudanese government intensified its crackdown on foreign aid agencies.
JEM also reiterated unconditional commitment to facilitate the work of aid groups, demanding the government to play the same role and refrain from hindering humanitarian work.
The movement said it accepts the Sa’ihoon initiative as long as it does not allow for impunity, stressing those who committed crimes against the people must bear responsibility for their acts.
(ST)