JEM-Dabajo criticizes DRA’s monopole by one group
July 26,2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Justice and Equality Movement led by Bakheit Abdel- Karim Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo) reiterated its determination to run for the chairmanship of Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), pointing to the monopole of authority by one group.
In a press conference held in Khartoum Sunday, the former rebel group confirmed its claim for the DRA presidency, stressing on the need for a better geographic distribution of recovery projects. JEM-Dabajo officials further accused al-Sissi group of controlling the most important five positions in the regional authority.
JEM-Dabago political secretary Nahar Osman Nahar told reporters that NLJP controls the most important positions in the authority and mentioned the chairmanship, the deputy chairman, finance minister, head of DRA development and rehabilitation fund, and voluntary return commissioner.
“All of these five main bodies are in the hands of one of the three signatories and we believe that a true partnership requires the distribution of these positions to all sides,” Nahar said.
Also , he was keen to say that the former Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), which signed the DDPD in July 201,1 is no longer one group but split into two political parties.
Earlier this year, LJM former secretary general Bahar Idriss Abu Garda accused al-Sissi of excluding them from the decision-making process in the group and formed the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP) which is now the third DDPD partner.
From his side, NLJP spokesperson Ahmed Fadel announced that the seats of the DRA executive body will be redistributed between all the signatories of the Doha framework document.
Nahar said their candidate will not be from the group but someone who could contribute to achieve aspirations of Darfur people and boost the regional authority.
He further criticized the “unfair” geographical distribution of the rehabilitation and development projects implemented by the regional body. He added that most of these projects are recovery projects and blamed the DRA for neglecting the infra-structure projects.
JEM-Dabajo leading member, al-Hadi Burma also expressed concern over the implementation of the partnership agreement they inked with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and urged the swift implementation of the remaining issues.
Burma pointed to the participation of their group in the national and state governments as well as the local administrations in Darfur region.
He also mentioned the stalled integration of their combatants in the South and West Darfur, but said the security arrangements are finalized in the other areas.
(ST)