Arman: ‘New governors to be appointed in Sudan after peace accord’

During the peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and armed movements in the South Sudanese capital in Juba in the past two months, the parties agreed on appointing new state governors after a peace accord has been reached.

In the meantime, Khartoum may appoint civil governors who will rule the relevant state until a peace agreement has been reached and new governors will be appointed to all 18 states in the country, Yasir Arman, Deputy Secretary General of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, a coalition of Sudanese armed opposition groups) said in a press release on Thursday.

The Sudanese army command informed the rebel leaders during the negotiations that it wished to end the appointment of its generals as acting state governors. The generals were appointed by the deposed regime of Omar Al Bashir, which raises a variety of difficulties. In a number of cases, it would be better if interim civil governors would manage the states until a peace agreement is signed.

War zones

Arman stated that the government delegation committed during the talks not to appoint members of the country’s Legislative Council until a peace agreement has been reached.

Regarding replacement of the heads of the states however, they agreed on the appointment of temporary civil governors if the situation requires it. In particular in war zones, civil governors are needed to contain polarisation.

The rebel leader emphasised that this agreement does not violate the terms of the Juba Declaration of Principles, signed by the government delegation and the armed movements on 11 September for the purpose of confidence-building.

Suspended

The peace talks, brokered by South Sudan, began in Juba on October 14. Eight days later, the South Sudanese mediation team announced that the negotiations would be adjourned until November 21 to give the parties time for consultations.

El Hadi Idris, current chairman of the SRF, told Radio Dabanga from Juba at the time that the South Sudanese mediation team agreed to contact international and regional partners for support and funds for peace building, the voluntary return of displaced people and refugees, and restoration of what has been destroyed during the wars. The armed movements would consult the various stakeholders including refugees, displaced people, youth, and women.

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