Eastern Sudan track suspension: Native admin leaders ‘accept compromise’

The delegation of native administration leaders from eastern Sudan in Juba say they consider the suspension of the talks on the eastern Sudan track a compromise, calling on all parties to accept it.

Negotiation sessions on the eastern Sudan track have been suspended for a period of three weeks to allow for a separate peace conference to be held by stakeholders in the east of Sudan to resolve their differences.

The Juba Declaration of Principles, signed by the government and the armed movements on September 12, stipulates that the root causes for the armed struggle and civil wars in Sudan must be addressed.

After their return from Juba, the members of the native administration delegation called on the Sudanese government to organise the Eastern Sudan Consultative Conference, and ensure that all components in the east participate without any exclusion.

At a press conference at the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) in Khartoum, the native administrators emphasised that they do not seek to hinder or obstruct the eastern Sudan negotiation track or present themselves as a third negotiating party.

They see it as their task “to preserve the integrity of the social fabric” in eastern Sudan, “to solve political and tribal problems, and to not push native administration leaders into disputes that do not serve our work”.

In August, days of fighting between Bani Amer tribesmen and settlers from the Nuba Mountains in Port Sudan led to the death of at least 35 people. Dozens of others were injured.

The Red Sea state authorities imposed a State of Emergency in the city. After intervention from Khartoum, the warring parties signed a reconciliation accord on September 8.

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