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Sudan Tribune

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JEM-Dabago says implementation of security arrangement with the government has begun

June 4, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The former rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) faction led by Bakheit Abdallah Dabago (JEM-Dabago) has announced the official start of the implementation of the security arrangement clause of the agreement it signed with the government more than a year ago.

Darfur rebel group JEM-Dabago hold a press conference in Khartoum on 21 May 2014 (ST)
Darfur rebel group JEM-Dabago hold a press conference in Khartoum on 21 May 2014 (ST)
In April 2013, JEM-Bashar, a breakaway group from JEM, inked a peace agreement negotiated with the Sudanese government on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

Following that, JEM killed the leader of JEM-Bashar, Mohamed Bashar, and his deputy Suleiman Arko, and detained more than 20 others in an attack near the Chadian border as they were returning to Khartoum.

JEM-Bashar subsequently appointed Bakheit Abdallah Dabago as Bashar’s successor.

The movement announced that 50 military vehicles loaded with soldiers and materials had arrived in North Darfur state capital of al-Fashir on Wednesday to begin the actual implementation of the agreement.

Dabago is scheduled to meet with government officials in Khartoum next week to discuss the outstanding portions of the agreement.

On May 21, the movement expressed concern over the slow implementation of the agreement signed with the government, saying that what has been implemented does not exceed 5%.

JEM-Dabago’s secretary of presidential affairs, Nahar Osman Nahar, told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that arrival of the movement’s soldiers in al-Fashir is an advanced step in the implementation of the security arrangements item.

He said those soldiers will be admitted into a training camp in a few days, noting that the opening of the camp will be attended by representatives from the sponsors of the agreement including Qatar, the United Nations and the African Union.

Nahar said that Dabago, who is currently among his forces in the battlefield, will arrive in Khartoum next week to follow up on the implementation of remaining parts of the agreement.

He noted out that 600 combatants have arrived in Al-Fashir, saying some of them will be integrated into the army and the police while others will join the disarmament, demobilization and integration programs in coordination with the security arrangement commission and the defence ministry.

Nahar underscored that his movement pays great attention to its forces, calling upon all signatories of peace agreements to accelerate implementation of the security arrangements given that it represents the safety valve for the rest of the items.

He said that 5,000 combatants from his movement are still waiting for the completion of the rest of the arrangements, adding that their forces which began implementation of the security arrangement are the largest forces in the history of Darfur’s peace agreement.

In November 2013 , the Sudanese government and Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) agreed to integrate over 3000 LJM combatants into the Sudanese army and government police. The remaining combatants undergo a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process.

LJM signed the DDPD on 14 July 2011 but the parties diverged long time on the implementation of the security arrangements agreement.

(ST)

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