SPLM-N El Hilu withdraw from Sudan peace negotiations

Yesterday, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North faction led by Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) withdrew from peace negotiations in Juba, capital of South Sudan.

Ammar Daldoum, the movement’s general secretary and head of the negotiating delegation, said in a statement that they withdrew in protest of the chairmanship of the government delegation by Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’, Deputy Chairman of the Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.

The SPLM-N El Hilu delegation say the recent involvement of RSF forces in violence in Khor El Waral, and areas around Delling, along with “heinous crimes” committed against unarmed civilians in various parts of Sudan, have led the faction to withdraw.

The rebel group, which is negotiating peace in South Kordofan separately from the Sudan Revolutionary Front rebel alliance, considers the RSF to be hostile to Sudanese people and peace. Therefore, according to the an official complaint made on August 18, “the RSF commander lacks neutrality and is not qualified to lead the negotiation delegation”.

The rebel's delegation was surprised that the negotiation session began yesterday, without any referral to the complaint, Daldoum said. According to the statement, the mediating team insisted on continuing the session.

The mediating team justified the members of the government delegation, “therefore, the SPLM-N El Hilu delegation decided to withdraw from the negotiating session,” according to Daldoum. The rebel leader affirmed his movement’s commitment to the negotiation session.

The head of the South Sudanese mediation team, Tut Galuak, told reporters in Juba that the session was paused for procedural reasons, including presence of all parties.

Previously, sessions between the two parties were suspended because of the issue of secularism of the state. “All these matters will be reviewed,” the mediator said, and announced that the sessions between the two delegations will resume on Friday.

Kadugli displaced

The Governor of South Kordofan, Hamid El Bashir, has sent water provisions and educational materials the Taferi camp for the displaced.

Newly displaced fled to Taferi camp, west of the state capital Kadugli, and Tello camp, in southern Kadugli, following violent incidents three weeks ago which displaced about 2,000 people.

“The newly displaced are living in critical humanitarian conditions”, said the governor after a visit to Taferi and Tello camps, further stating that these are especially poor conditions for the rainy season.

He called for an urgent meeting with the South Kordofan Humanitarian Aid Commissioner and partners to provide food, water, plastic sheets, beds, cooking utensils, and other basic goods.

Displaced people in Taferi camp told Radio Dabanga that they lack basic goods to lead “the simplest way of life”. They demanded security in the area so that they can safely build shelters to protect them from rain.

They also said that they welcome the new governor and will cooperate with him to implement the goals of the revolution.

In May, residents of the Tello camp for the displaced in the southern part of Kadugli complained that RSF soldiers took control of the district and were terrorising them. At least 17 people were killed, and about 4,000 families fled to rebel-controlled areas. Residents of Tello camp for the displaced in the South Kordofan capital Kadugli began to return home at the beginning of June.

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