14 dead in Port Sudan violence, peace conference planned for next week

The Preparatory Committee for the Eastern Sudan Conference announced that the conference for the eastern Sudan track will be held on January 11-13 in the Friendship Hall in Khartoum. The conference aims to include the visions of eastern Sudanese community leaders in the Juba peace negotiations. 14 were killed in intertribal clashes in the last three days.

The members of the Preparatory Committee include the governors of Red Sea state, Kassala, and El Gedaref, Sovereign Council members Siddig Tawir and Maj Gen Ibrahim Jabir, and representatives of the Ministry of Federal Governance, and the University of Khartoum.

Common vision

Tawir said in a press statement after a meeting in the Republican Palace in Khartoum on Sunday that the conference aims to present a common vision about the future of the impoverished eastern region.

“The conference will offer social segments representing the stakeholders in the region to come up with a common vision for their people on issues important to achieve development, stability, and social peace,” he explained.

He said he expects the conference to “come up with constructive recommendations that reflect the vision and aspirations of the people of eastern Sudan in the Juba negotiations”. He expressed his hope for its success and the participation of all leaders and segments of society.

The conference was proposed by eastern Sudan community leaders at the Juba negotiations between the Sudanese government and rebel movements three weeks ago. The negotiations in Juba on the eastern Sudan track have been suspended to give the conference the opportunity to resolve differences.

Tribal clashes

14 people died in the tribal clashes in Port Sudan during the past three days.

Seven of them were shot dead, two others burned to death, the head of the Ministry of Health in the Red Sea state, Zaafaran El Zaki, reported on Sunday.

115 people sustained injuries, some of whom are in a critical condition.

The Security and Defence Council, headed by the Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, chairman of the Sovereign Council, deployed additional forces to Port Sudan, and ordered the arrest all those involved in the violent events and bring them to a fair trial. He also wants to organise political and community dialogues with all segments of the society to find out why the fighting broke out again.

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