Sudan to offer govt posts to Darfur rebels: documents

Sudan will offer Darfur’s rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) government positions as part of a peace deal, according to documents setting out the terms of negotiations seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The documents are the first concrete sign that Khartoum is prepared to share power with its bitter foe — a development that could alienate the government’s existing allies in the western region and complicate preparations for elections, due in April.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was due to sign a ceasefire and “framework” deal, listing agreements to be fleshed out in further negotiation, with JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim in Qatar’s capital Doha on Tuesday.

According to a French language copy of the framework agreement, JEM and Khartoum agreed to “the participation of the Justice and Equality Movement at all levels of government (executive, legislative, …) in a manner to be agreed subsequently between the two parties.”

JEM is widely thought to control the biggest military insurgent force in Darfur and carried out an unprecedented attack in Khartoum in 2008.

Ibrahim supported the Islamist-backed coup that brought Bashir to power in 1989 and held a number of regional government positions in Darfur and other areas before taking part in the 2003 Darfur revolt.

The United Nations estimates 300,000 people have died in Darfur’s crisis, but Sudan rejects that figure. The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against Bashir last year to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region.

Reuters.