Opposition plays down governors’ meet

Says it knows the tricks of the NCP full well and won’t lose out again

Sudan’s newly-formed opposition alliance said on Friday that the meeting held by the governors and statutory heads of the states of Darfur and South Kordofan is a new attempt by the government to mobilize tribal militias.The governors of North, South and West Darfur and South Kordofan met in El Fasher, North Darfur on Thursday and called for a boost in the security apparatus to combat the rebel militias.

The opposition coalition, comprising the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), Sudan Liberation Movement-Abdul Wahid (SLM-AW), Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), was formed in Kauda earlier this month.

The meeting held by the governors, security services and heads of local governments recommended the need to take all the necessary steps to impose the state’s prestige and authority of law. It also concluded that the military and security services must provide whatever the situation demands.

The committees are expected to meet on a regular basis as well as in case of emergency in the states of Darfur and South Kordofan.

The coalition, on the other hand, played down the meeting stating that they had learned the tricks of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and also vowed not let any more killing or displacement of families to take place.

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Minni Arco Minawi, president of the SLM-MM, said that the recently held meeting by the governors on matters of security wasn’t anything new: “The government hasn’t stopped its military operations since the war in Darfur. They haven’t been able to eliminate the resistance movements since so long.”

Nimr Abdel Rahman, spokesperson of the SLM-AW, said that the meeting only confirms the continuation of military solutions adopted by the government. “This has been the government’s approach since the beginning of events in the region. The new offensive will only mean a new chapter of killing and displacement,” Nimr Abdel Rahman said.

Arnau Nuguthulu, spokesperson of the SPLM-N, said that the meeting of the governors in El Fasher only indicates the fear and horror that the government of Sudan faces from the opposition coalition.

“The racist and partial system of the NCP is afraid of any alliance or unity between the marginalized forces. That is why they are reacting to the alliance in Kauda. The rest of the marginalized forces should also speed up and join the alliance,” Nuguthulu said.

On the other hand, Jibril Adam Bilal, spokesperson of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), said that the purpose of the meeting was to alert and mobilize the tribal militias.