ON THE BASELESS ACCUSATIONS OF AFRICAN MISSION IN SUDAN

The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) read with surprise and utter disbelieve a statement credited to the head of the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS), Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, and aired by the international media, in which the Ambassador vehemently launched a tirade of accusations and condemnations against the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A).

Mr. Kingibe leveled accusations to the effect that SLA attacked Arab nomads and abducted a number of them and 3100 camels (three thousands and one hundred), and undiplomatically described the SLM/A as engaging in"provocative banditry……refusal to cooperate with AMIS intermediaries…etc"

The SLM would like to take the ambassador on his baseless tirades which contradicts the Ceasefire Commission) CFC) report on the incident referred above.

First: How did the Ambassador arrived to the conclusion that 3100 camels (not goats or sheep) have been taken by SLA in one go? This number of camels can not be assembled in one place what ever the effort is or the logistics used are.

Second: Levelling unfounded accusations and unfair condemnations against the revolutionary SLM/A will not cover up AMIS shortcomings, inefficiency, and impartiality in Darfur.

Third: SLM/A would like to remind Mr. Kingibe that: killing, banditry, abduction, lawlessness, anarchy, plus rape and impunity are the characteristics of the Khartoum regime and its Arab militias (the Jonahed) and not and can not be of the freedom fighters such as SLM/A.

If it is true that AMIS calls a spade a spade, it would have leveled more serious accusations against the Khartoum regime.

The Janjaweed and the Khartoum’s army have committed and still committing genocide, ethnic cleansing, and the worst crimes known to humanity so far and yet, when the whole world agitated and raised alarm, and its security council put the Khartoum regime under surveillance, issued resolutions after resolutions and called for the trial of the perpetrators of the crimes against humanity in the international criminal court, the AU was colluding with the Khartoum regime and agreeing to the so called trial in Khartoum regime’s courts.

Alhaji Kingibe too easily accepts the Khartoum regime" suggestions, regarding incrimination and leveling accusations against the revolutionary SLM/A. This is really unfortunate. The SLM fights banditry and instances and examples are abound.

Had the Khartoum government disarmed and disbanded the Janjaweed and brought under tight control all its other several and various militias, and had the AMIS, with all the material and financial support it received from the international community helped and actually worked towards disarming the Janjaweed and bringing them to justice a long with the real masters that created them, any fluid and dicey situation such as the one the AMIS is now raising hue and cry would not have existed.

The Janjasweed and the Khartoum regime" army have killed hundreds of thousands of African people, and raped thousands of their women and looted and burnt to the ground thousands of their villages, wrestled thousands of their camels, cattle and herds of their goats and sheep, and displaced millions, and rendered hundreds of thousands refugees in other countries, and yet AMIS has never came out so firmly to condemn the Khartoum regime or to discredit it or even describes it as a brutal government. Even when it blatantly violated the signed agreements and protocols and when AMIS is aware that on the incident in question it is the Sudan Government that has violated the ceasefire agreement and the security enhancement protocol.

It’s also a matter of fact and in the record that almost every international NGO and every independent foreign observer or international media man or woman that visited Darfur, have showered commendations to SLM/A for its responsible action, good treatment of civilians, and responsible political demands. Examples are abounding, in both the print and electronic media.

The SLM/A is the movement of the people of Darfur and other marginalized groups in Sudan, and it’s their hope for the new Sudan. Its popularity surpasses all known measures in our long history. It has become a house hold name. It can not be undone by scathing statements.

Fourth: The SLM/A has so far respected all the agreements, and protocols signed with the GoS and continue respecting them until the final resolution of the conflict. It’s also committed to Abuja talks, but this should never be interpreted negatively to discredit the movement and scuttle the process.

Final, we in the SLM/A strongly believe that, the AMIS, having already put its credibility on the line, it should not play further role of spin doctor.

Issued by the information Department

Sudan Liberation Movement

September 7, 2005