Sudanese president orders to investigate Darfur groups’ brawl

August 30, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir on Sunday issued a decision to form a fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances of a brawl between members of two factions of a former rebel group signatory of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

On Wednesday 26 August members of the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP), led by Bahar Idriss Abu Garda fought with members of National Liberation and Justice Movement (NLJP) led by Tijani al-Sissi during the launch ceremony for Phase II of development projects in Darfur in the Sudanese capital.

The LJP supporters came to contest the legitimacy of the attribution of 640 development projects and reiterated accusations of corruption for the NLJP led Darfur Regional Authority (DRA).

The presidential decree provides that the committee should investigate with the official and non-official persons involved in the incident, the circumstances and motivations of this unprecedented development in the conflict between the two parties.

LJP and the Justice and Equality Movement -Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo) call on president Bashir to appoint a new chairman for the regional authority and to be equally represented in the DRA which controlled by al-Sissi’s pary.

The decree appointed the minister of justice Hassan Awad, as chairman of the committee and the minister of the federal affairs Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, and the deputy chief justice Idris Awad al-Majid as members.

The three member investigation body had to submit its findings to the president within a week from the date of the presidential decision.

BOYCOTT OF RDA

In a related development, LJP and the JEM-Dabajo ministers in the DRA decided to boycott the meetings of the regional body till an expected reshuffle takes place.

The two political groups are expected to hold a press conference to explain their decision.

The DRA chairman Sissi on Sunday headed a meeting of the regional authority at its headquarters in Khartoum with the participation of the five governors of Darfur states.

DRA information minister Abdel Karim Musa told reporters that the meeting stressed the government’s determination to enforce all the 1071 development projects in Darfur.

Musa disclosed that the federal finance ministry approved 900 million pounds for the implementation of the second phase of recovery and development projects.

(ST)