Report by Xinhua News Agency (via iStockAnalyst.com)
Thursday, 05 August 2010 at 1:06 PM - excerpt:
Sudan, Libya agree to restrict JEM leader's activities- - -
KHARTOUM, Aug. 5, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Sudan and Libya have agreed to restrict Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader's activities in Libya and to prevent him from launching any hostile activity against Sudan, a Sudanese official said Thursday.
"Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's visit to Libya has achieved good results. We have agreed with the Libyan side that Khalil Ibrahim (who is now residing in Libya) is not to launch any hostile activity against Sudan from inside the Libyan territories, " Sudanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Hassan Ali told reporters at Khartoum airport on Thursday.
"Khalil Ibrahim should join the peace process in Doha. If he insisted on his rejective stance on negotiations, he will isolate himself," said Ali.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday returned to Khartoum after a two-day visit to Libya, during which he held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on issues of joint border, the presence of JEM leader in Libya and South Sudan referendum.
The Sudanese state minister further said al-Bashir has acquainted his Libyan counterpart with the developments of the Darfur situation and the government's new regional strategy.
He added that the Sudanese president also called on Libya to play an active role in Sudan's unity and the Darfur issue.
Sudan on early July closed its border with Libya, saying the traffic on the joint border exposes the passengers to threats of rebels who commit banditry or impose illegal fees on the passengers.
Khartoum denied that the move was taken in response to the presence of JEM leader in Libya.
Gaddafi in July asked Khalil Ibrahim to join the peace negotiations in Doha, saying Libya has informed Khalil not to do any thing that might cripple the peace talks.
JEM TERRORISTS THREATEN TO TAKE DARFUR AND KORDOFAN FOR THEMSELVES
Report by AFP (via www.africasia.com)
Wednesday, 04 August 2010 - excerpt:
Darfur JEM to demand self-rule if conflict goes on- - -
Darfur's most active rebel group said on Wednesday it would demand self-determination for the devastated Sudanese region if conflict with the government continues, a spokesman told AFP.
Justice and Equality Movement spokesman Ahmed Hussein Adam said the group, which withdrew from peace talks with Khartoum in May after renewed clashes with the military, said self determination would be at the "centre of our demands."
"If there is no political horizon, if the genocide continue, if the government keep denying human rights, democracy and rule of law then we will have no other choice than to ask for self-determination for Darfur and Kordofan," he said.
"Self-determination means either unity on a new basis or independence," he added without detailing what he meant by the first option.
Darfur was an independent sultanate from the 17th century until 1916. [,,,]
Khartoum is demanding the arrest of its leader Khalil Ibrahim, who is in Libya, where Bashir began a two-day visit on Wednesday.
Report by Sudan Tribune
Wednesday, 04 August 2010:
Self-determination emerging as an option for Darfur: JEM- - -
August 3, 2010 (WASHINGTON) - The people of Darfur will soon be left with no option but to demand the right of self-determination in a manner similar to Southern Sudan, a senior Darfuri rebel official said today.
Early next year, the citizens of Southern Sudan are scheduled to decide whether they want to remain part of a united country or form their own state. This was stipulated by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the Arab-Muslim dominated North and the largely Christian and animist South.
"Our people need hope, they have the right to live under state of citizenship, freedom, democracy, equality and rule of law. We cannot accept this indefinite state of status-quo," said Ahmed Hussein who is the official spokesperson of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
"There is an ongoing genocide in Darfur which is entering a new phase. The [Khartoum] regime is working towards having a forcible return by dismantling the IDPs camps, using food as weapon, expelling and intimidating aid groups through abduction, assassinating IDP leaders, assaulting peacekeepers," Hussein added.
The JEM official emphasized that the Sudanese government is deploying these tactics "to liquidate the cause of our people" adding that the shift of international focus from Darfur to South Sudan encouraged Khartoum to execute this plan.
"Under these circumstances, JEM will be left with no other choice than to call for self-determination for Darfur as well as Kordofan. We must remember that Darfur was an independent Sultanate until 1916, exercising sovereignty and conducting its own foreign relations," Hussein said.
This is the first time JEM, considered to be the Darfur’s most powerful rebel group, makes such a call for self-determination. The Sudanese government has flatly rejected this demand saying this not even a topic for negotiations.
Last year, Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur who resides in exile in France, issued a statement demanding the right of self determination though it was later downplayed by its leader.
The development might be a cause of concern to Arab and African nations which see the breakup of Sudan as a major threat to stability and peace in the region already in a fragile and unpredictable state.
Hussein referred to the recent advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Kosovo saying that it sets a legal precedent in other parts of the world including Darfur.
"People around the world are now allowed to decide on their destiny and future to preserve their dignity and humanity," he said.
Many critics in Sudan blame the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) for encouraging secessionist sentiments in the country through marginalizing non-Arab ethnicities and holding strongly to the core of wealth and power. Others say that the ruling party has played ’divide and conquer’ among tribes in Darfur and the South to weaken these regions and remain in control.
In Darfur for example, some experts and politicians accuse the government of allowing Arab tribes from West African nations to come and settle in Darfur creating new conflict over lands and complicating existing ones.
The JEM spokesperson chided the UN Security Council UNSC for staying mute on the events that took place in IDP camps.
"The world is silent even as the government attacks the IDP camps. In Kalma they are passing weapons from the Eastern side of the camp through the security and intelligence agents. This is a war crime and the UNSC must take up its responsibility and intervene to stop this and further support the International Criminal Court to investigate the events that occurred last week," he added.
A crisis erupted after deadly fighting last week swept the Kalma and Zalingi refugee camps — strongholds of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur who resides in exile in France.
Up to 11 people were killed in the fighting reportedly between supporters of Nur’s SLM and those who are supporters of the peace process currently underway in Doha between Khartoum and a rebel umbrella, Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM).
SLM-Nur claimed that the government manipulated a handful of people in the camps to fly to Doha as IDP representatives and then enter the camp along with weapons and ammunition sparking the clashes.
The Sudanese government wants the African Union - United Nations peacekeepers to hand over six people it accuses of inciting the violence.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has indicted Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes and genocide in Darfur, where mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in 2003 accusing Khartoum of neglecting the region.
Peace talks on Darfur are underway in the Arab Gulf state of Qatar between Khartoum and LJM but observers say that the absence of JEM and SLM-Nur from the negotiations mean that any peace accord signed will not bring peace to the restive region.
JEM has suspended participation in the talks despite a promising start which led to signing of a framework agreement earlier this year. The movement accused the government of breaching the temporary ceasefire agreement and attacking its positions. (ST)
Quotes of the Day
"Are you one of the group’s members who like to get credit for what you haven’t toiled for? I conclude with the quotation from Indira Gandhi of India that “My grandfather once told me there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group because there was less competition there.” -Paul Ongee, 4 August 2010 (in a comment posted at Sudan Tribune report "Self-determination emerging as an option for Darfur: JEM")- - -
"Dr. John [Garang] once said: Sudan will disintegrate into West; East; North and the South as a result of historical and contemporary political and economic marginalization of vast Country side by a small clique in khartoum. As soon as the South goes, Darfur and the east are likely to follow unless otherwise." -Atungdiak, 04 August 2010 (in a comment posted at Sudan Tribune report "Self-determination emerging as an option for Darfur: JEM")
UPDATE - Thursday, 05 August 2010:
Excerpts from a report by Reuters (KHARTOUM) 05 August 2010:
Bashir returns to Sudan with Libyan promises
... Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir returned to Khartoum on Thursday after a two-day visit to Libya, saying he had secured Libyan guarantees to curb any Darfur rebel attacks.
"The two sides agreed that Khalil would not launch any attacks against Sudan from Libyan territories," State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Hassan Ali told reporters at Khartoum airport on Bashir's return.
Ali who had travelled with Bashir in a high-level delegation to Libya also said Ibrahim now had no option but to return to peace talks in Doha.
JEM says Ibrahim is not under restrictions in Libya and no longer has any desire to return to Darfur. ...
"Surprised and humbled"
