Sudan Criticizes JEM-UNICEF Agreement

27 July 2010 - (London) – The Sudanese government has strongly criticized the agreement signed between the United Nations Children’s agency UNICEF and the anti-government group, the Justice and Equality Movement on child protection in Darfur.

JEM and UNICEF signed the agreement on Wednesday in Geneva to protect children affected by war in Darfur.

The spokesperson of the ministry for foreign affairs Mauwiya Osman Khalid told the official Sudan News Agency that the agreement between JEM and UNICEF is a breach of international conventions.

But JEM secretary for external relations, Jibril Ibrahim told SRS on Monday from London, that the government does not care for the people of Darfur.

[Jibril Ibrahim]: “This shows the ugly face of the state, people are saying they want to protect children and the vulnerable in the region, yet they oppose an agreement like this. They want these vulnerable people to die? They don’t care. They are responsible for forcing these people into displacement, separating them from their families, killing their fathers and mothers. When an international organization tries to provide them with aid, the state denies them the opportunity. This is quite strange and it proves that the state does not care for its citizens at all.”

A second agreement was signed between JEM and humanitarian organizations working in Darfur to guarantee the organizations’ access to JEM-controlled areas to provide humanitarian aid.