Darfur armed groups question partial release of rebel combatants
The Sudan Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) welcomed the release of combatants of two rebel groups, but wonders why imprisoned members of other armed movements have not been set free.
On Wednesday evening, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, head of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC), issued a general amnesty for imprisoned members of the Sudan Liberation Movement faction led by Minni Minawi and the Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council (SLM-TC). He said the measure was taken “to create good faith” between the TMC and the armed movements.
Two JEM fighters attend their trial session in Omdurman, August 20, 2008 (AFP)
The Sudan Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) welcomed the release of combatants of two rebel groups, but wonders why imprisoned members of other armed movements have not been set free.
On Wednesday evening, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, head of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC), issued a general amnesty for imprisoned members of the Sudan Liberation Movement faction led by Minni Minawi and the Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council. He said the measure was taken “to create good faith” between the TMC and the armed movements.
The next day, 235 combatants were released from El Huda prison in Omdurman.
JEM spokesman Mutasim Ahmed asked in a statement on Friday about the reasons for the non-release of “hundreds of prisoners” belonging to the JEM, the Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid El Nur, and other rebel groups.
“There is no justification for not releasing all prisoners unconditionally,” he said.
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