Government, SPLM-N end informal talks in Addis Ababa without agreement
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October 2, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government and Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement -North (SPLM-N) Sunday wrapped up informal
consultations meeting in Addis Ababa without any breakthrough on the
humanitarian access file.
JPEG - 15.7 kb
SPLM-N Yasir Arman (L) in a private discussion on the contentious
issues with government chief negotiators Amin Hassan Omer (R) and
Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid at the venue of the talks in Addis Ababa,on
November 22, 2015 (ST Photo)
Last August, the government and rebels in the Two Areas finalized a
draft cessation of hostilities agreement but failed to agree on the
humanitarian access as Khartoum refuses SPLM-N demand to deliver 20%
of the aid through the Ethiopian town of Assossa on the Sudanese
border.
The meeting, which was brokered by the Ugandan government in support
of the African mediation team led by President Thabo Mbeki, raised
hope that the involvement of President Museveni in Sudan’s peace talks
may help to narrow the gaps.
However the two negotiating teams on Sunday evening issued statements
accusing each other of lacking seriousness to end the conflict in Blue
Nile and South Kordofan, and said they are sticking to their previous
positions.
In a press statement issued after the meeting, the government
delegation headed by the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed
Adam, said they put forward new initiative to deliver humanitarian aid
in the rebel controlled areas.
The statement said that Khartoum purpose of the initiative is "to
break the deadlock that characterized previous negotiations."
The new initiative calls for the formation of a joint mechanism
involving the government, the SPLM-N, the United Nations, the African
Union and representatives of national and international aid groups.
The proposed joint mechanism will assess the needs, and develop plans
for humanitarian interventions. Also, the initiative will adopt a
fast-track policy to accelerate and facilitate the access of
humanitarian aid to the needy in the affected areas."
In return, the SPLM-N said the consultations were a failure, and
blamed Khartoum for only sending "unmandated delegation" because it
has no intention to make any concessions, while the movement had made
several concessions in the past rounds.
The SPLM-N further said they stick to their demand for a humanitarian
corridor through Assossa to deliver 20% of the humanitarian aid to the
rebel controlled areas. It further said the new initiative is an
attempt to mask its rejection of Assoss crossing point.
Last June, Sudanese rebel groups called on President Museveni to
participate in the ongoing efforts to bring peace in Sudan. Following,
what he met with delegations from the Sudanese government, Justice and
Equality Movement (JEM), Sudan Liberation movement - Minni Minnawi
(SLM-MM), and SPLM-N.
Museveni who reconciled with Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir agreed
with the two parties to organize informal talks in Addis Ababa to
support the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) in
its efforts for a comprehensive peace and democratic reforms in Sudan.
The government accused the SPLM-N of seeking to distract attention
from its intransigent positions through accusations and false
allegations. Khartoum further said the SPLM-N behaviour reinforces its
doubts about rebels’ intention to use the aid for "non-humanitarian
purposes".
The SPLM-N pointed to the recent accusations by Amnesty International
about the use of chemical weapons in Darfur and the Two Areas, and
underlined that consultations are underway within the rebel group on
the "cessation of contacts" with the government until the
investigations over this claims.
JEM and SLM-MM are also holding talks with a government delegation in
Addis Ababa but none of the parties issued any statement until Sunday
evening.
(ST)
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