KHARTOUM (AFP) – Darfur’s most active rebel group said on Wednesday it would demand self-determination for the devastated Sudanese region if conflict with the government continues, a spokesman told AFP.
Justice and Equality Movement spokesman Ahmed Hussein Adam said the group, which withdrew from peace talks with Khartoum in May after renewed clashes with the military, said self determination would be at the “centre of our demands.”
“If there is no political horizon, if the genocide continue, if the government keep denying human rights, democracy and rule of law then we will have no other choice than to ask for self-determination for Darfur and Kordofan,” he said.
“Self-determination means either unity on a new basis or independence,” he added without detailing what he meant by the first option.
Darfur was an independent sultanate from the 17th century until 1916.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir faces an international warrant for alleged genocide and war crimes in Darfur, where the United Nations says 300,000 have died since the war began in 2003. Khartoum says 10,000 died in the conflict.
The conflict began after rebels took up arms against Khartoum, complaining of discrimination against ethnic groups in the western region, but they did not ask for self-rule.
JEM signed a tentative agreement and ceasefire with Khartoum in February which unravelled amid renewed clashes.
Khartoum is demanding the arrest of its leader Khalil Ibrahim, who is in Libya, where Bashir began a two-day visit on Wednesday.
