Sudan govt, rebels talk tough on National Dialogue

The Sudanese Minister of Defence, Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein, has announced the government’s readiness to definitely beat the rebel movements over the next dry season if they do not join the National Dialogue. On Saturday, during a visit to El Damazin, capital of Blue Nile state, the Minister called on the armed movements to lay down their arms and return to their homeland. He stressed that the “doors of dialogue and participation will remain open. All components of society, at home and abroad, are welcome to take part in the National Dialogue.” Jibril Adam Bilal, the spokesman for the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), reacted by saying that the “Sudanese forces will never be able to eliminate the resistance movements”. “Besides, the Khartoum regime is not serious about the peace process.” He stressed that the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, an alliance of the main rebel movements) is convinced that the crises of Sudan should be resolved through dialogue. “If the Khartoum regime refuses a sincere dialogue, and opts for the military solution, we are ready to eliminate the minister’s militias even before the start of the next dry season.” The peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North on the war-torn regions of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa on 12 October, have been postponed until after 25 October. The delay is caused by the general convention of the ruling National Congress Party that will take place between 20-25 October. File photo: Convoy of JEM combatants in Darfur