Darfur armed groups accuse Sudan’s military of delaying security arrangements
May 28, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Darfur armed groups signatory of the Juba Peace Agreement accused the military component of the transitional government of delaying the enforcement of the agreed security arrangements.
In a joint statement on Friday, five groups said that seven months after the signing of the peace agreement on 3 October 2020, the military component had not taken a single step to implement the security arrangements with the aim of continuing to monopolize the military and security authority.
The movements further accused the military component of “creating other movements without the aim of complicating the military scene and sabotaging the peace.”
The statement stressed the “allegation” that the delay in implementing the security arrangements is due to the lack of funding is incorrect.
The text was signed by the Sudan Liberation Movement – Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), the Justice and Equality Movement, the Sudanese Alliance, the Sudan Liberation Forces Alliance and the Sudan Liberation Movement – Transitional Council (SLM-TC).
On Wednesday, May 26, Yasser Arman, Deputy Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by Malik Agar, accused the Military Intelligence Service of working to create new armed groups and providing them with money to weaken the signatory groups and divert them from the implementation of the peace agreement.
Al-Hadi Idris Member of the Sovereign Council, leader of the Sudan Revolutionary Front and SLM-TC earlier this year warned against the delay in the implementation of the security arrangements. He said he said that former rebel fighters left their cantonment sites and use their arms for looting.
For his part, Muhammad Zakaria, Rapporteur of the SRF leadership Council said that the statement expresses “legitimate concern” about the delay in the enforcement of the security arrangements which are the backbone for the implementation of the rest of the peace agreement’s provisions.
For his part, the Director of Military Information, al-Tahir Abuhaja, denied these accusations, saying that it was not useful to discuss the implementation of security arrangements through the media and press statements.
Abujaja said that the army has nothing to do with the implementation of the security arrangement.
He added that in line with the peace agreement there are special committees including the armed groups tasked with its implementation.
These committees are working under the supervision of the Minister of Defense, in addition to a higher committee to follow up the implementation of the agreement that includes the leaders of the movements, he said.
The committees have already developed a matrix for its implementation and discussed the delay of the security arrangements implementation. They have agreed that the reason for the delay is the economic situation (in the country) and it is difficult to provide the required funds.
(ST)