Eastern Sudanese oppose the peace talks on east track

On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators in Port Sudan protested against the ongoing peace negotiations on the Eastern Sudan track in Juba. The protestors demand an immediate suspension of peace talks on Eastern Sudan Track until the negotiating parties can incorporate the concluded Eastern Sudanese tribal agreement.

The demonstrators delivered a memorandum to the state governor addressed to the prime minister, in which they demanded an immediate halt of the peace negotiation on Eastern Track in the Juba until the terms of the signed covenant are included.

They also demanded better representation in the current peace talks. “Through a factual consultative conference that can be held by the regional actors we can have a solid representation,” they added.

The rally started from the Martyrs Square in Deim El Arab and moved towards the government secretariat. The protestors chanted, “Down, down the Juba platform.”

 In their memorandum, they denounced the central interventions in the local affair that weakened and deconstructed the social fabric in the region. “These intervention policies are unwise,” they said. They also accused the Sovereign Council of dictating terms on the Eastern Track.

On Monday, the government delegation team and the leaders of the Sudan Revolutionary Front signed an agreement to extend the current peace negotiation period in Juba for three more weeks.

During the signing ceremony, the spokesman for the government’s negotiating delegation and Member of Sovereign Council, Mohamed El Taayshi stressed that the agreement provides an opportunity for more discourse on issues related to the peace process. “The demands and objectives of the glorious December revolution must go hand in hand with the peace process,” he added.

Ahmed Tugud, one of the key negotiators confirmed that the signed accord will pave the way for a peace agreement ending the war in Sudan.

On February 6, Radio Dabanga reported that Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’, Deputy Chairman of the Sovereign Council and head of the delegation to negotiate with the armed struggle movements, said in a press statement after meeting with the representations of the native administration (nazirs), that they affirmed their participation of all the people of the east in the Juba negotiations, and will send delegates from among the Nazirs to join the delegation to negotiate the eastern track.

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