Letter from Justice and Equality Movement Sudan (JEM) to United Nations Security Council

05:17 PM February, 20 2017

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حركة العدل و المساواة السودانية
Justice and Equality Movement Sudan (JEM)

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20 February 2017
United Nations Security Council
One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza
885 Second Avenue at 48th Street, 21st Floor
New York, NY 10017
Telephone 212-759-9429
Fax 212-759-4038
Email [email protected]

Sub: Resolution 2340 (2017); Alleged Recruitment of Child Soldiers by JEM


Dear Honourable Members of the Security Council:

We, the leadership of the Justice and Equality Movement Sudan (JEM), have thoroughly reviewed UN Security Council Resolution 2340 (2017). We welcome the UNSC Resolution and its renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Panel for Darfur. We further reiterate our readiness to cooperate with the relevant parties wherever possible to reach a lasting peace in Sudan.

While we remain committed to the objective stated above, we would like to communicate our profound concern and confusion regarding the following provision in Resolution 2340(2017):

“… and urging the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)-Gibril forces to refrain from the recruitment and use of children in violation of applicable international law.”

JEM was surprised at this provision for a number of reasons, most notably because JEM has had a long-standing commitment prohibiting the recruitment and use of child soldiers. In fact, on February 1, 2017, UNAMID issued a statement commending JEM for its commitment on this issue. The allegation that JEM recruits under-aged soldiers is utterly false.

JEM has undertaken a number of steps to ensure that there are no child soldiers in its ranks. First and foremost, JEM has long enshrined a prohibition on the use or recruitment of minors in its internal regulations and has provided training for its officers and field commanders to that effect. Some of these trainings were provided with support from the UN and other relevant international organisations. In its effort to fully comply with international conventions on child soldiers, JEM leadership and officers have also attended numerous workshops, conferences, and meetings including with the UNSG’s Special Representative for Children in Conflicts Areas, Geneva Call, UNICEF, UNAMID, ICRC and other international organizations, and various interested diplomats and envoys.

Regarding JEM’s specific actions and commitments to protecting children and prohibiting the use or recruitment of child soldiers, we present the following record:
a. In July 2010, JEM signed an agreement with UNICEF to protect children in the conflict areas;
b. In September 2012, JEM signed an Action Plan and issued a Command Order to prohibit child recruitment;
c. In 2012, JEM signed Deed of Commitment for the protection of children with Geneva Call;
d. In 2013, JEM created a committee to oversee the speedy implementation of the Action Plan;
e. In 2014, JEM reviewed and amended its internal laws and military codes to further align them with the Plan of Action and previous Command Order;
f. In 2014 and 2015, JEM sent officers to two workshops organized by Geneva Call and ICRC at Ida refugee camp and in Kampala for trainings in International Humanitarian Law and the protection of children and all vulnerable people in combat zones;
g. In May 2016, JEM signed a MOU together with SLM-MM and SLM-AW for the Protection of Children in Conflict areas, which was witnessed by the UNSG Special Representative for Children in Conflict Areas; and,
h. In 2016 and again in 2017, JEM renewed its Command Order for protection of children and made it available to all stakeholders and concerned parties.
JEM is wholeheartedly committed to all international conventions prohibiting the use and recruitment of children and their abuse in conflict and will remain so committed. JEM stands ready to cooperate with the UNSC and other concerned organisations in this regard.

With regard to the allegations of Resolution 2340(2017), we note that there is nothing in the Panel of Expert’s report on this topic except anecdotal accusations provided by the Government of Sudan (GoS), the same government that has committed mass atrocities and genocide in Darfur. Furthermore, the Panel of Experts has never responded to our open invitation for them to visit our military sites and examine our troops. Instead, it seems that the Panel once again relied on information supplied by the GoS, or relied on GoS-supplied information printed in previous reports.

To address the inclusion of this incorrect provision in UNSC Resolution 2340(2017), JEM requests that the UNSC issue a statement noting that the information provided in this resolution was incorrect and unsubstantiated. Further, we again invite the Panel of Experts to visit our military sites and meet with our troops, so that they may understand JEM’s commitment to ensuring there are no child soldiers in its ranks.

Finally, we would like to note our disappointment regarding the lack of attention to the grievances underlying the current conflict in Darfur, including: Unjust distribution of wealth and power, confiscation of land and displacement of millions into IDP and refugee camps, blatant violation of the fundamental human rights and basic freedoms, unlawful arrests, arbitrary detentions and harassment, murder and torture of students from Darfur, discrimination against the people of Darfur in cities, universities, government, civil and military service and business, failure to disarm or disband the Janjaweed, .. ect. These issues caused and still perpetuate the conflict, and there can be no lasting peace without their resolution. We are thus hopeful that the Security Council takes greater notice of the need to resolve these and other issues facing the people of Darfur and Sudan.


Sincerely,


Dr. Gibril Ibrahim Mohamed
Chairperson
Justice and Equality Movement Sudan (JEM)






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