SRF leader says new plan proposed after trilateral initiative was blocked

Head of the Sudan Revolutionary Front and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement north Malik Agar, has disclosed that the United Nations, African Union and the Arab League are launching an alternative plan to deliver humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of people affected by war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, after the Sudanese government failed to sign the trilateral initiative. The alternative plan will involve aid delivery to the borders of Blue Nile and South Kordofan with assistance from local organisations who will distribute relief supplies across the two states. Agar said this proposal was put forward at the beginning of this month in the presence of the three bodies. In a long interview with Radio Dabanga to be broadcast today, Agar said the meeting discussed the humanitarian situation and how best to deliver food to around 250,000 internally displaced people, but Khartoum refused to sign the proposed initiative despite the conditions set out in the latest UN Security Council resolution.No negotiation with Khartoum Agar denied that the SPLM-N delegation was invited to Addis Ababa to negotiate with the Sudanese government as had previously been rumoured. He said the delegation were however invited by a representative of the UN to discuss the trilateral initiative of aid delivery to South Kordofan and Blue Nile. When asked about the UNSC Resolution stating that Khartoum should negotiate with the SPLM-N to reach a settlement on the basis of the Addis Ababa framework agreement signed by Sudanese official Nafie, but rejected by president Bashir, Agar said the main priorities remain to resolve the humanitarian crisis. He said the framework agreement has requirements enforceable by the government; beginning with Bashir recognising the canceled agreement, secondly lifting the political ban on the SPLM-N and thirdly, releasing 295 SPLM-N members including those that were sentenced to death. Only after the completion of those steps, Agar added that they could then think about solving Sudan’s problems comprehensively, and not partially as any agreement with the SPLM-N alone would not solve the crisis. He stressed that the Sudan Revolutionary Front presented a roadmap for a peaceful solution to the high level African Union commission headed by South African president Thabo Mbeki. He added that the UN and AU commission were interested in a roadmap put forward by the SRF, not just the SPLM-N, leading to a wider solution including the main opposition movements in Sudan.Position reported to ambassadors Agar also revealed that the position advocating a non partial peaceful resolution for the Sudanese problem has been clearly communicated to US Ambassador to Sudan Princeton Lyman and to all ambassadors forming the AU Council of Peace and Security. He said the vision of a comprehensive roadmap proposed by the SRF was also shared with many bodies, institutions and influential actors in the international community. Agar said the SPLM-N will only negotiate for a comprehensive framework, with all members of the Front fully involved.