El Burhan grants general amnesty to arms carriers prior to rebel leaders’ arrival in Sudan

The President of the Sovereign Council, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, issued a decree yesterday to grant a general amnesty to “all those who carried weapons or participated in any military operation, war operation, or any act or statement related to combat operations”.

The decision includes all combatants of the rebel groups that signed the Juba Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government on October 3.

Those against whom arrest warrants have been issued by the International Criminal Court or those who otherwise face criminal charges and lawsuits for the crime of genocide or crimes against humanity are excluded. The decree also excludes those who face “private rights” related charges.

The decree was issued before the arrival of many rebel leaders in Sudan. According to Sudanese law, the unauthorised carrying of weapons can be punished by 10 years imprisonment. The general amnesty protects rebel groups from such prosecution.

Arrival of rebel leaders

On Sunday, the leaders of the rebel movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement will arrive in the country, marking the start of the implementation of the agreement.

The Council of Ministers has declared Sunday 15 November a national holiday to celebrate the arrival of the rebel leaders who signed the Juba Peace Agreement in Khartoum.

Prof Suleiman El Debello, Head of the Sudanese Peace Council, announced in a press conference yesterday that there will be an official popular reception of “the peace leaders”.

The leaders will first be received at Khartoum International Airport before moving to the popular celebration at Freedom Square in Khartoum (formerly known as Green Square, south of the airport).

Juba Peace Agreement

On October 3, the Sudanese government and the members of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance, composed of various rebel groups, signed a peace agreement in the South Sudanese capital Juba.

Not all rebel forces signed the agreement.  The Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) has consistently stated that it will only enter peace talks after security and stability have been restored in Darfur but it has sent its vice president, Abdallah Harran, to Juba to discuss the peace negotiation process.

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