Rebel alliance rejects ‘matrix’ and appointment of civilian governors

The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance rejects the government matrix that details priorities and responsibilities for the transitional period. This matrix was agreed upon by the Sovereign Council, the Cabinet and the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) on Saturday.

The SRF announced in a statement following its Presidential Council meeting in Juba on Monday that it does not agree with the appointment of civilian governors and the Legislative Council. The SRF calls this “a violation of the Juba Declaration”, the roadmap for the peace talks that was signed by the Sudanese government and the armed rebel movements in September 2019.

In November 2019 the Sudanese government and the armed movements agreed that civilian governors were to be appointed after a peace accord had been reached. At that moment it was expected that a peace agreement would be reached in the beginning of 2020. At the end of February the Sudanese government proposed that ‘temporary civilian governors’ should be appointed “to fill the current, pressing administrative gap in the 18 Sudan states”. The SRF disagreed with that proposal.

The recent SRF statement accused the FFC in Khartoum of “not wanting peace and repeating the mistakes of the past”. The SRF announced that it was studying the formation of “another body for Freedom and Change, until the FFC founders wish to achieve peace”.

The statement called on the transitional government to send the SRF the results of the tripartite meeting in writing, so it can respond to it in writing. The statement stressed that “without peace the revolution will not be complete”.

Minni Minawi

Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok had a long conversation with Minni Minawi, head of one of the Sudan Liberation Movement factions yesterday. They exchanged views on the peace process that takes place in the South Sudanese capital Juba.

During the telephone call, Minawi stressed his movement’s position on “the need to achieve a real and sustainable peace that addresses the roots of the crisis and silences the sound of guns forever”.

SPLM-N El Hilu

The delegation of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North faction led by Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) in Juba says it is still waiting on the response of the Sudanese government to the position presented by the rebel delegation to the South Sudanese mediation team on February 29. SPLM-N El Hilu stated that “the failure of the government to respond is detrimental to the seriousness and credibility of the other side”.

The movement stressed in a statement yesterday that its negotiating team is still present in Juba and willing to negotiate, despite the stalemate at the negotiations. The statement also mentions security tensions and military manoeuvres in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state, which it calls ‘dangerous’.

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