JEM-Sudan accuses Darfur Authority of blocking power-sharing

The Justice and Equality Movement faction (JEM-Sudan) has accused the Darfur Regional Authority of blocking the movement’s participation in the sharing of powers, one of the conditions of a peace agreement it signed one and a half years ago. The former rebel movement, led by Bakhit Abdallah Abdel Karim (known as Dabajo), signed the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) in April 2013. Spokesman El Sadig Yousef Zakaria told Radio Dabanga that the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) has continued to put roadblocks against the employment of leading JEM-Sudan figures into the authority. “The DRA is a monopoly for its leader, Dr El Tijani Sese, and his movement [the Liberation and Justice Movement, ed.],” Zakaria said. The spokesman claimed that apparently, Sese stands against the implementation of the power-sharing protocol. About 1,350 ex-combatants of the JEM- Sudan had to wait until August this year, before the implementation of the security arrangements was realised, and the procedure of their integration into the Sudan Armed Forces started. A delegation of the former rebels discussed the power-sharing protocol of the DDPD on 22 September with Sudan’s First Vice-President, Gen. Bakri Hassan Saleh. At the time, Zakaria stated that “all obstacles threatening the realisation of the DDPD have been removed”. File photo: ‘Dabajo’ Bakhit Abdallah Abdel Karim, leader of the former rebel JEM-Sudan (AfricaTime) Related: Darfur ex-rebels, Vice-President discuss peace accord (23 September 2014) Doha Document security arrangements launched in North Darfur (26 August 2014)