Sudan’s rebels lay down arms for Darfur peace

The head of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) stated in a performance review that the regional security meetings have come out with positive results, “particularly with regard to fighting outlaws, security within cities, and the spreading of arms”. Elements of armed rebel movements in Darfur, such as a split faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi, have joined the peace agreement and laid down their arms. DRA head Dr Tijani Sese pledged during the fifth convention of the DRA council on Thursday to provide more security arrangements to maintain the stability, as part of the peace process in Darfur. He told the council that the framework authority that accommodates the former rebel forces of the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) and other peace agreement signatories, had rehabilitated two camps in El Fasher and Nyala localities. ‘They are being prepared for the signatories until the security arrangements are completed,’ Sese said during the meeting in the Museum of Sultan Ali Dinar in El Fasher, North Darfur. ‘Rebels remain security threat’ He explained that the meetings with the regional security in El Fasher on 1 June, and the next meeting in Nyala city on 16 June, have come out with positive outputs. “The armed non-signatory opposition movements have remained a security threat,” Sese stressed, “and the liaison committee continues its efforts to persuade them to join the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD)”. Sultan Saad Abdel Rahman Bahreldin, chairman of the DRA board, already welcomed five new members on Thursday. They belonged to the JEM-Sudan faction led by Bakhit Abdallah Abdel Karim (known as Dabjo). Elements split from Minni Minawi On Wednesday, a group of forces announced its secession from the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi (SLM-MM). It will join the Darfur peace process and hand over all its materiel and equipment to the sixth infantry in El Fasher city. The leader of the group, Ayman Ibrahim, stated that the split comes following their desire to join the peace process in Darfur. Major General Magdi Ibrahim, the commander of the sixth infantry, confirmed that the armed forces are keen to open a new page and welcome those returning to the homeland. The SLM-MM, however, has strongly denied the existence of any defection among the movement. Abdel Aziz Sam explained to Radio Dabanga that a military guard of the chief of the staff office escaped, together with three others. They surrendered their vehicle to the army commander in El Fasher. Sam mocked the leader at the sixth infantry for celebrating their victory. “Whoever wants to return and surrender may do so without escaping or stealing from the movement.” During his tour through West and Central Darfur, Dr Tijani Sese had reiterated his call upon the armed rebel movements to join the 2011 Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) so that “peace will prevail in the region”. File photo: Dr Tijani Sese, Chairman of the former rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), in a political meeting. Related: ‘DRA chairman misleads public opinion’: Darfur displaced (18 June 2014)