Two Darfur groups announce concrete steps towards unity, as splinters mark distance
May 3, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Two groups of the Sudan Liberation Movement said they decided to take concrete steps to enforce a reunification process they have agreed a year ago. Also, the splinter group distanced themselves from their former leader and created their own structure
On 7 May 7, 2018, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nur and the Sudan Liberation Forces Alliance (SLFA) led by Tahir Hajar agreed to merge their military and political work towards full unification of the two movements.
In a joint statement signed by Abdel Wahid and Tahir issued on 2 May 2019, the two rebel groups renewed their commitment to last year agreement and decided to implement agreed measures towards the achieved of the desired unity.
The statement said the leadership of the two organizations has started to form joint work committees and set the necessary procedures and regulations.
“The committees should start their work immediately after the announcement of this statement in the political, media, humanitarian, foreign and human rights offices”.
Further, The two groups stressed the need to work in the spirit of one team and coordinate in all that would serve the interests of the homeland. Also, they stressed their openness to work with the other groups.
Regarding the ousting of President al-Bashir, the two groups saluted “the great patriotic action that the people of Sudan have been doing for thirty years, leading to their victorious uprising against (al-Bashir).
However, the statement stressed the joint and serious action to achieve justice for the victims of the displaced and refugees and compensate them individually and collectively.
Also, it pointed to the need to return of the stolen land to its true owners and to expel the new settlers, disbanding the Janjaweed and other tribal militias, and disarming them, as well as the return of internally displaced persons and refugees to their original areas and villages.
NEW SPLIT IN SLM-AW
In a related development, a group of the SLM-AW former political officials and commanders issued a statement announcing their decision to remove al-Nur from the group’s leadership.
The signatories of the statement including IDPs representatives announced the formation of a new leadership council and declared their intention to hold a general conference within three months.
The 6-page statement was signed by the members of the leadership council, among others, including Mohamed Zakaria former deputy chairman, Ahmed Youssef Ibrahim external relation secretary, Hafiz Hamoda political secretary, Ali Mohamed Hamid IDPs and refugees secretary Salah al-Din Abakr, Iman Abul Gassim, Mohamed Haroun, Mohamed Youssef Ahmed, Abdel Jabar Yahya and Hussein Saleh Abu Sharati, former IDPs spokesperson.
Besides the civilians, the statement was signed by 10 militaries including Haroun Abdel Karim, Abbas Khamis, Mustafa Nacer al-Din Tambour etc.. In addition it was inked by representatives of IDPs camps in Darfur and refugees in Chad, Kenya and other countries.
The Sudanese military council declared a unilateral ceasefire and called on armed groups to negotiate a lasting peace in Sudan and to take part in the transitional institutions.
(ST)