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Sudan Tribune

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Sudanese rebels form new college student body

July 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) has replaced its historical college student organization known as the African National Front (ANF) by another one under the name of “The Students of the SPLM-N”.

Sudanese students demonstrate in front of the Faculty of Computer Sciences and Information Technology in Port, Sudan (AFP/File)
Sudanese students demonstrate in front of the Faculty of Computer Sciences and Information Technology in Port, Sudan (AFP/File)
The SPLM-N secretary general, Yasser Arman, had formed a committee in mid-2014 to unify the movement’s two college organizations, the ANF and the Alliance of the SPLM-N Students.

Representatives from the two student organizations held an extraordinary conference on 30 June and agreed to merge both groups into one organization under the name of the Students of the SPLM-N.

The member of the committee, Mubarak Ardol, said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday that the movement would work with the leadership of its new student organization to confront “all destructive attempts so that it can play its full role”.

Last Friday, the central committee of the ANF issued a statement denying knowledge of the extraordinary conference and accusing unnamed bodies of seeking to destroy the historic organization since 2011.

However, Ardol confirmed the legality of the extraordinary conference and the elected leadership, saying the new organization is the legitimate body which represents the SPLM-N at the Sudanese colleges.

“We ask all students affiliated with the SPLM-N and supporters of the New Sudan program to cooperate with the leadership of this organization and to work with it,” he added.

He added that several statements have been issued by unknown bodies calling into question the extraordinary conference which has been held with the participation of students’ representatives from all colleges in Khartoum and the various states, saying they threatened to prevent the new organization from playing its role.

Ardol accused the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) of seeking to hinder the work of the new student body and preventing it from carrying out its duties.

The statement pointed out that the representatives of the two student organizations met for 17 days to achieve the objectives set by the SPLM-N leadership, saying both student bodies have been dissolved and being replaced by one organization under the name of “The Students of the SPLM-N”.

“[This goal has been achieved] despite of the tyrannical and despotic policies of the regime which controlled the political scene and fragmented the opposition [forces] ,” he said.

He said that the SPLM-N college student organization suffered from internal divisions, lack of vision and coordinated work during the past period.

The central committee of the new SPLM-N student body issued a statement on July 1, noting that new organization is the legitimate heir of the ANF and the Alliance of the SPLM-N Students.

The statement pointed out that a new political council composed of 20 students has been elected besides the council’s chairman and rapporteur and the central committee.

“Those organs are legitimate and recognized by the [students] base and the [SPLM-N] leadership”, the statement reads.

(ST)

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