Civil society orgs: Sudanese gov and SPLM-N rebels must negotiate for peace

In a joint statement on Friday, 28 civil society organisations in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state called on the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North faction, led by Abdulaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu), to return to the negotiating table in order to reach a lasting peace in Sudan. An international conference was held yesterday to discuss the most appropriate and effective solutions for implementing the Juba Peace Agreement.

Kaju Shayen, representative of the civil society organisations told Radio Dabanga yesterday that the parties to the statement have been discussing the delay in the peace talks in the South Sudanese capital Juba for the past few days.

The statement stressed the need for the parties to address the roots of Sudanese issues, which is not achieved in the current Juba Peace Agreement between the government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front rebel alliance.

Shayen described the arguments made by the government delegation during the recent informal sessions as “flimsy”, and explained that they see the Addis Ababa agreement between Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and Abdelaziz El Hilu as represent the true entry point to solving the Sudan problems.

He referred to the continuing violence in various parts of the country, especially in the Two Areas (South Kordofan and Blue Nile state) and Darfur, in addition to the economic problems and the dire livelihood situation.

The civil society activist appealed to all NGO’s, associations, and other activist groups in the country to continue to pressure the government to exert efforts to end the armed conflicts and find a comprehensive and lasting solution for the country.

Sudanese people are expected to take to the streets today, to celebrate the second anniversary of the 2018 December revolution that overthrew the rule of Al Bashir, but also to demand the correction of the course of the revolution.

He appealed to the international community to urge the parties in Sudan to reach an agreement that leads to a lasting peace that fulfils the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

In November, SPLM-N El Hilu reaffirmed its eagerness “to reach a peaceful, just, and comprehensive political settlement of the Sudanese problem that would put an end to the civil wars in Sudan”.

International conference

Representatives of the Sudanese government, the new UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the United Nations Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration programme were present at a video conference on implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement.  

The Commissioner General of the Sudanese Disarmament Commission, Maj Gen Abdelrahman Abdelhamid, praised the workshop that was held in Khartoum yesterday, along with the keenness to implement the Juba Peace Agreement with the aim of achieving peace and stability in Sudan.

The Commissioner General told reporters in Khartoum that the workshop achieved “many gains that enable the Commission to implement its programmes in the coming period, in cooperation with international and regional partners.”

UNITAMS

Stephanie Khoury, the head of the Khartoum office for UNITAMS, also participated in the workshop. On December 8, Khoury met with UNAMID Joint Special Representative/Joint Chief Mediator, Jeremiah Mamabolo and leaders of the Sudan Revolutionary Front in Khartoum. During the meeting, the parties discussed UN support to Sudan’s transition and the country’s National Protection of Civilians Plan.

UNITAMS will be established at the beginning of 2021. It will not have a peacekeeping mandate, but will assist the government of Sudan to support the maintenance, monitoring, and building of peace. UNITAMS will be based on chapter VI of the United Nations Charter. UNAMID, which will exit Sudan on December 31, is based on Chapter VII, which allows the peacekeepers to use force in order to prevent violent conflict.

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