SUMMARY
The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) is a rebel group based in Darfur, the most western region of Sudan. The agenda of the JEM is to change the entire political structure of Sudan, and their political program includes issues such as: justice and equality in place of social injustice and political tyranny, radical and comprehensive constitutional reform that would guarantee the regions their rights in ruling the country (one point of this was a rotating presidency), and basic services for every Sudanese. Leader of JEM is Dr. Khalil Ibrahim who is from the Kobe branch of the Zaghawa ethnic group. JEM is an Islamic group that in contrast to the other main rebel group based in Darfur, SLM/A, do not argue for a separation of state and religion. JEM argues that Islamic law should not be enforced on non-Muslims and “the believers of the other faiths must not oppose Muslim’s attempt to apply the laws of their religion for themselves”.
JEM has a strong Islamic tradition and this is visible through the fact that the leaders of the group have been part of the National Islamic Front (the party that seized power in Sudan in a military coup in 1989). Khalil Ibrahim was State Minister for Education in Darfur the between 1991 and 1994.
However, in 1993 he was disappointed with the NIF because of its economic neglect and its support to armed militias. As a result of this, he became part of a covert cell that started a program to reform the Sudanese government from the inside. This work consisted of the formation of different cells that worked to try to restructure the NIF; some, but not all of these, were Islamists. In 2000 this work resulted in a publication called “The Black Book” which is a political and economic anatomy of marginalization in Sudan. But at this time the people behind this project had made the conclusion that it was not a feasible option to try to reform the NIF from within. Instead, they started to plan an armed movement called the Justice and Equality Movement.
A contested issue is the relationship between JEM and Hassan el-Turabi, former speaker of Sudan's parliament and the ideologist of its Islamist revolution, who was removed from office in May 2000 and for a while imprisoned by the government. It is said that JEM receives support from Turabi. However, this relationship is denied both by Turabi and by JEM. In contrast to SLM/A JEM is not part of the umbrella opposition organization grouping called National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
2006 was a year of fragmentation among the rebels in Darfur and alliances were formed and split. One of the most important changes was that three different rebel groups -JEM, Group of 19 (a collection of former SLM/A-commanders), and Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance (SFDA)- together formed a new group called the National Redemption Front (NRF).
JEM has been involved in the intrastate, non-state and one-sided categories of UCDP organized violence.
