SPLM-N Rift: Blue Nile body rejects removal of Agar and Arman

June 13, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Blue Nile Liberation Council (BNLC) of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) has rejected decisions by Nuba Mountain Liberation Council (NMLC) to sack Movement’s Chairman and Secretary General.

Last week, the NMLC decided to install SPLM-N Deputy Chairman Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu as temporary chairman of the Movement and relieved Malik Agar from the leadership of the armed group together with the Secretary General Yasser Arman.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Tuesday, the BNLC rejected the NMLC decision to sack Agar, Arman and the commander of the 2nd infantry front, Maj. Gen. Ahmad Al-Umda.

The statement, which was signed by Bashir Sifa Matar, said the NMLC has no constitutional right to remove Agar, Arman and Al-Umda from their positions, saying the decision to remove the Movement Chairman and Secretary General is reserved only to the National Liberation Council.

It also denounced the move by the SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi to support the NMLC decision, saying Lodi is no longer the spokesperson of the Movement but the NMLC.

Recently, Lodi has joined al-Hilu’s group and issued a statement calling on the Movement base to support the new leadership.

In two executive decisions Monday, Agar relieved Lodi and the heads of SPLM-N chapters in United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, the Netherlands and Canada who issued similar statements in support of al-Hilu.

The Sudanese army has been fighting SPLM-N rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as the Two Areas since 2011.

(ST)