Uganda declines to host Sudanese rebel leader over peace talks
August 24, 2022 (JUBA) – The Ugandan government has reportedly turned down a request by Sudanese rebels to reside in the country, citing their lack of commitment to pursue genuine causes.
Sudanese rebel Abdel Wahid Mohamed Al-Nur, multiple sources disclosed, had his request for a residential permit rejected on directives from President Yoweri Museveni.
A top South Sudanese security officer told Sudan Tribune on Saturday that Museveni faulted Al-Nur for refusing to accept peaceful negotiation with the government of Sudan, yet pursuing military means.
“Abdel Wahid Mohamed Al-Nur is using the conflict in Darfur, especially in the Jebel Mara area for business purpose. He is fighting for a genuine cause. He is becoming a conflict entrepreneur. He is using community members and the fighting as the cover for his illicit business activities in the Jebel area. He is now openly involved in illicit mining. He has actually forgotten the cause of Darfur”, he said.
A highly placed source revealed that he was recently involved in efforts to allow President Museveni meet with Al-Nur, but they could not succeed because the Ugandan leader declined the request.
“In the diplomat and security services, a request stays for more than two weeks; it means the recipient is not interested in the visit. Al-nur has made several attempts through our contacts, diplomatic channels and the good offices but the Ugandan leadership has not responded”, he explained.
A diplomat at the Ugandan embassy in Juba told Sudan Tribune that Uganda and the president was not ready to engage in an indefinite diplomat support for rebel groups without significant presence on the ground or those with no clear ideologies and visions aimed at changing the system in their countries.
“This Sudanese guy called Al-Nur is a business man. He is a political leader because his approach is dogmatic. There is nothing like that in politics. Political leaders are flexible. They explore ways to finding a solution to the problem. There is now a window of peace being mediated by the president of the Republic of South Sudan General Salva Kiir Mayardit with the support of the region but this man is not utilizing this opportunity. He is not making proposals”, said the diplomat who preferred anonymity.
Last week, Al-Nur and his aides told Sudan Tribune the group was looking for an opportunity to speak with the Ugandan leader about peace in Sudan and the region.
Sources claimed in multiple interviews with Sudan Tribune that Al-Nur had been in contact with the Ugandan leader who indicated in July he would permit him to relocate to Uganda from South Sudan where he lives as the guest of the President Salva Kiir to give him the opportunity to persuade him to join peace talk after he opted to remain out of the Juba peace agreement which Sudan and coalition of several rebel leaders and political groups signed in 2020 to end the conflict in Sudan.
It remains unclear how Al-Nur intend to pursue a way to end the conflict in the war ravaged region of Darfur and more specifically in his Jebel Mara area where the war has forced local people to relocate into mountainous area or fled to Chad, Central Africa Republic or crossed into Libyan as refugees.
Several attempts by the state of Qatar and the African union to broker an accord have never yielded meaningful peaceful efforts. Al-nur advocates a total regime change and removal of Arabs tribes which the government in Khartoum has settled in areas historically owned or associated with his ethnic group.
(ST)