Sudan President scorns ceasefire agreement with Darfur rebels

Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir has refused to sign an agreement for a cease-fire with the armed movements in Darfur for not occupying military sites on the ground.

Speaking to a student gathering in Khartoum on Tuesday, he called on the movements to enter Sudan, occupy sites on the ground and then demand a cease-fire.

He said that there are two options for the armed movements in Darfur: either to hand over their weapons at the border to enter as ordinary citizens or face military deterrence.

Al Bashir branded the armed movements as ”mercenaries who are fighting in South Sudan State and Libya”.

JEM

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) denounced Al Bashir's comments and described him as “a liar who expresses the unwillingness of the government to reach a comprehensive political settlement”.

On Wednesday, JEM spokesman Jibril Adam Bilal, told Radio Dabanga that the JEM will have nothing to do with any negotiations or dialogue as long as the government does not wish to do so.

He explained that the armed movements have been negotiating with the government for years without reaching a result confirming its willingness to reach a political settlement.

He stressed the presence of JEM forces in Darfur, saying “they do not need an invitation from Al Bashir to attack and occupy cities”.

SLM-MM

The Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Minni Minawi (SLM-MM) has described Al Bashir’s statement as “irresponsible and contradictory”. Mohammed Hassan Haroun Obama, the spokesman for the SLM-MM told Radio Dabanga that the government is fully aware of the whereabouts of their forces in Darfur.

He mocked Al Bashir’s statement, saying “as long as we do not exist on the ground, how we could be present in South Sudan State and Libya?”

Haroun confirmed that the Movement is ready for war as long as the government is not serious about the peace process.