SPLM-N RIFT: Nuba body appoints Hilu as leader of S. Kordofan rebels
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File photo for Abdel Aziz al-hHlu in the Nuba Mountains on 8 November
2014 (ST Photo)
June 7, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Nuba Mountains Liberation Council
(NMLC), an SPLM-N political body in the South Kordofan State on
Wednesday has decided to remove Malik Agar from the leadership of the
group and replaced him by his deputy Abdel Aziz al-Hilu.
The move, which has all the characteristics of a split in the rebel
group, has deepened the crisis that emerged last March when al-Hilo
resigned from his position as a deputy chairman accusing the
secretary-general Yasir Arman of disregarding his demand to include
the self-determination in the agenda of peace negotiations.
Following what the NMLC announced its support of al-Hilo’s demand for
self-determination and relieved Arman from his position as
secretary-general and chief negotiator.
Agar and Arman sought to contain the move and held a series of meeting
with the NMLC and the military command of the group led by the SPLA-N
Chief of Staff Jacod Mekouar.
Following a meeting held in the Nuba Mountains, the South Kordofan
body issued a number of decisions signed by the NMLC chairman, Omer
Rambawi, providing the removal of Agar from his post as chairman of
the Movement and general commander of its Army.
The Nuba council also decided to prevent Agar and Yasir Arman’s entry
to the SPLM-N controlled areas in South Kordofan State.
On the other hand, the council formally appointed Abdel Aziz Adam
al-Hilu as the Movement’s leader and general commander of the SPLA-N
and entrusted him to complete the national structure of the movement
until the general conference.
The final communiqué of the meeting of the regional Liberation Council
provided the merits of the removal of Agar and Arman, citing their
refusal to include the right of self-determination for the Nuba
Mountains in negotiations with the government. Further, it pointed to
Agar’s rejection of the previous NMLC decisions related to Arman’s
dismissal from his positions and accused Agar of being behind the
recent clashes in the SPLM-N held areas in the Blue Nile state.
“STAGING INTERNAL COUP”
In a lengthy internal message addressed to the SPLM-N and SPLA-N
commanders, civil administrations in the Two Areas, on Monday, Agar
has accused his deputy al-Hilu of seeking to divide the Movement and
its Army and install himself as chairman of the SPLM-N.
In the internal note seen by Sudan Tribune, the SPLM-N chairman
further described details of the differences within the SPLM-N.
He said that al-Hilu, despite his resignation, continued to work at a
feverish pace to create internal dissent and install himself as
chairman of the Movement, disclosing the latter has once again sent a
message to the Nuba Mountains calling to hold another meeting for the
NMLC.
“In addition to being illegal, this call will aggravate the situation
and won’t lead to solutions. We are aware of all the decisions he
intends to make, including the appointment of a new chairman and new
leadership and assistance,” he said.
“As chairman of the Movement, and with me the current secretary
general, we decided not to run for any executive office at any future
SPLM-N conference and to support a new generation of leaders and the
unity of the SPLM-N,” he added.
Agar accused al-Hilo of seeking to stage a coup within the movement’s
organs, saying he tried hard to use the ethnic and tribal
contradictions to achieve that end.
He added the internal fight within the SPLM-N ranks in the Blue Nile
was a product of al-Hilu’s recent actions, saying he actively sought
to ignite tribal difference among the Movement’s leadership and
members in the state.
Agar further warned against repeating the same scenario in the Nuba Mountain.
Late last month, clashes erupted in the Blue Nile between SPLM-N
fighters and breakaway factions who declared the dismissal of Agar.
The fighting later moved to refugee camps where each party sought to
mobilise supporters along tribal and ethnic lines.
At the time, the SPLM-N described the fighting as an attempt to
overturn the entire political and military heritage of the Movement
and its vision and transform it into a regional movement, saying the
behaviour of this group is more dangerous than the war against the
government.
South Kordofan and the neighbouring Blue Nile state, also known as the
Two Areas have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N
and Sudanese army since 2011.
Talks between the two sides for a cessation of hostilities and
humanitarian access are stalled since last August.
SELF-DETERMINATION AND NEGOTIATING POSITION
Meanwhile, Agar said the call for self-determination in the Nuba
Mountain is not part of the New Sudan project, saying it would work
against the interests of the residents of the Two Areas.
He added the call for self-determination became “no longer attractive
after the secession of the South Sudan, saying it would isolate the
SPLM-N from the national and democratic forces and will divide the
Movement into two parts.
According to Agar, the negotiating position of the SPLM-N regarding
the two armies was a response to the government’s manoeuvres and
attempts to not honour any peace deal that might be signed.
He said the proposal of the Movement to integrate the SPLA-N into a
new Sudanese army after restructuring the current army and security
organs has foiled the government’s manoeuvres.
Agar added al-Hilu believes that SPLA-N has been sacrificed; saying
five members of the Movement’s negotiating team and himself have met
with al-Hilu to convince him that his opinion was wrong but he
insisted.
He stressed their current negotiating position doesn’t abandon the
SPLA-N, saying the establishment of the new Sudanese army could take
more than 15 years under the current conditions.
“During this period, the SPLA-N will maintain its presence through a
joint defence council,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after informal talks with the government in
December 2015, SPLM-N secretary general Yasser Arman said “the SPLM-N
proposes the formation of a one professional Sudanese army instead of
two armies as was the case in the CPA besides making new transitional
security arrangements for the SPLA-N within the framework of reforming
and restructuring the unified army”.
It is noteworthy that during all previous rounds of talks on the Two
Areas, the Sudanese government demanded a peace agreement that leads
to disarm the SPLA-N fighters.
But the rebel group insists on the need to keep its troops during the
transitional period of the peace implementation, saying the
Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process can take
place once the agreement is fully enforced.
In his resignation dated, al-Hilu disclosed differences among the
three executive officers of the national leadership council, saying
these differences “went beyond the secondary matters to the principles
and orientations”.
He pointed that the major disagreement between himself and Agar and
Arman evolve around the Movement’s manifesto and constitution besides
the negotiating position, stressing the SPLM-N has been working
without manifesto for six years.
Al-Hilu mentioned differences with Arman regarding the Movement’s
stance towards the security arrangements with the government.
He disclosed that on the security arrangements, he said that Arman
last August handed over to the African Union mediation the same
position included in Agar-Nafei agreement of 28 June 2011, while he
agreed with him in January 2016 to ask for a 20-year period security
arrangements deal.
The factions of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front - Agar including the
National Umma Party-Nasreldin al-Mahdi and the eastern Sudan United
People’s Front for Liberation and Justice (UPFLJ) have called to
preserve the SPLM-N’s unity and its platform for a comprehensive
change in Sudan.
Analysts agree that the decisions of the NMLC decisions means the
split of the SPLM-N into two factions.
However, they point that the position of the rebel army and its
leadership would impact heavily on the fate of the group.
(ST)
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