Disagreement over approach to pursuing peace in Sudan caused SPLM-N’s split: Agar
September 11, 2022 (JUBA) – Malik Agar leader of the SPLM-N SRF told Sudan Tribune the cause of the amicable split with his former deputy Yasir Arman is a difference in approach to pursuing peace in Sudan.
On August 18, Agar and Arman issued a joint statement saying they agreed to separate amicably after a rift on how to deal with the military coup.
Arman rejected the coup saying it undermined the democratic framework of the peace agreement while Agar vowed to work with the military junta to ensure peace implementation and ways to avoid a return to the war.
“Yes, we are no longer together in the same leadership. We have agreed to amicably pursue the efforts to bring peace and change to Sudan in different ways but the objective is the same,” Agar told Sudan Tribune.
” We have only not agreed on the approach because this is an issue of fundamental matters,”, he further said.
The leader of the SPLM-N Sudanese Revolutionary Front explained that his group signed a peace agreement with the military leadership currently running the affairs of Sudan and it is wise to work together to implement the agreement to pave way for reforms and the democratization process in the country.
Also, he stressed that the peace agreement requires mutual understanding and a need to display a spirit of cooperation instead of confrontation to ensure its implementation.
“We choose to avoid confrontation because it is good for nothing. The Sudanese people want peace, they need stability,” said Agar. “They are calling for mutual understanding and cooperation in order to implement the peace agreement. so, we said, okay, let us work with everyone,” he added.
The SPLM-N Revolutionary Democratic Current led by Arman has supported the anti-coup protest movement but stressed its commitment to the peace agreement.
The participation of the armed groups in the military-led government and the support that some of them voiced for the coup have tarnished the image they sought to cultivate in the past as liberation movements with a national agenda.
Agar hailed the effort of President Salva Kiir to encourage the military leadership in Khartoum to continue to work together with the signatory groups to implement the Juba peace agreement and move away the country from conflicts.
“We commend the leadership of president Salva Kiir, the region, and the friends of Sudan to continue to encourage and support the parties to implement the peace agreement to the spirit and letter,” he said.
“We have listened to the calls by all the people, including the repeated calls by our people to appreciate the value of mutual understanding and work together with those with whom we have signed the agreement,” he said, alluding to the local leaders in the Blue Nile region who say exhausted by wars.
This is why we are in the sovereign council. We are there to work with those with whom we signed the agreement to implement. We will work with them to implement the agreement,” he emphasized.
Sources close to the transitional leaders in the Blue Nile region said they have told the SPLM-N figure they are no longer ready to follow him in a new war.
When the coup took place in October 2021, Agar was in the Blue Nile region.
(ST)