Sudan’s Blue Nile state demands self-rule during transition period

KHARTOUM, Nov 12 (AFP) — Sudan’s Blue Nile state has demanded it also be granted self-rule during the six-year transitional period under a peace deal expected to be signed by Khartoum and southern rebels, newspapers said Wednesday.

Nearly 90 native administration representatives and dignitaries in the state capital Ed-Damazine called Tuesday for their region’s autonomy to “restore confidence” between Khartoum and the Blue Nile state, the independent Al-Ayam reported.

But conference participants emphasized their adherence to boundaries set in 1956 and their rejection of any form of control by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) of the southeastern Blue Nile state.

They demanded that the central government earmark a fund for an immediate emergency programme that must be pledged and set in motion before the final peace agreement is signed, the daily reported.

A delegation of the native administration, made up of tribal chieftains, is due to arrive in Khartoum to discuss the issue with government officials.

The government and SPLA have made dramatic progress toward ending the war during the last 15 months of negotiations in Kenya, with the US government expecting a final settlement to be signed by the end of the year.