New criticism of Darfur Authority chairman by LJM leader

Secretary-General Bahar Idris Abu Garda of the former rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) again heavily criticised Dr Tijani Sese, chairman of both the LJM and the Darfur Regional Authority on Thursday, accusing him of failing to implement development projects in Darfur.

At a press conference in the Sudanese capital, Abu Garda also verbally attacked several ministers of the Darfur Regional Authority, which is the lead actor for the implementation of the Doha peace agreement since 2011. He said that the ministers did not make the right administrative decisions. 

The former rebel group is divided into two factions, led by Sese, and by Abu Garda. Last Saturday, during a briefing to the native administration and civil society leaders in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, Sese admitted that there are “sharp differences” within the LJM leadership, “which should be handled internally”.

On Sunday, LJM forces disturbed a seminar organised by Secretary-General Abu Garda in the South Darfuri capital. The fighters prevented him from giving a lecture to the attending party members about the state of affairs regarding the implementation of the Doha Document of Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and its security arrangements.

Conflicts within the LJM, that signed the DDPD in July 2011, have surfaced the last couple of weeks. In press conferences on 28 December and 7 January, Abu Garda disclosed his dissatisfaction about the postponement of parts of the security arrangements by the LJM Leadership Council.

Sharafeldin Mahmoud, another LJM leader, this week said that DRA and LJM Chairman Dr Tijani Sese has become a “cancer in the body of the LJM”.