SPLM-N denies alleged alliance request from Sudanese army against RSF
May 30, 2024 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) has categorically denied receiving a request from the Sudanese army to join forces against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war with the army since April 15, 2023.
In an interview with Sudan Tribune in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on the sidelines of the founding conference of the Civil Democratic Forces Coordination “Tagadum,” SPLM-N Secretary-General Amun said that the government delegation that negotiated with them in Juba recently did not propose or hint at such a request at all.
He added, “We are at war with the government. Last April, a Sudanese army Antonov plane bombed a school in the Khadra area, killing 11 children aged between 8 and 9 years at that moment. On the same day, they bombed the village of Al-Quneizia, where women were fetching water from a pump, resulting in the death of 5 women. We are at war with the government and do not expect them to ask us to fight with them.”
He revealed that direct questions were posed to the government delegation led by Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the army, Shams al-Din Kabbashi, saying, “We asked them in the negotiations: Where did you get this humanity from? A month ago, you were killing our children aged 8 and 9 years, and today, you are talking about a humanitarian motive to save people from death. Where did you get this sudden humanity from?”
Tagadum, a platform for a New Sudan
Amun considered the Tagadum founding conference as a good opportunity to establish a launching platform for building a new Sudan.
He continued, “All the repeated civil wars in Sudan since its independence are due to the lack of a proper foundation for post-colonial Sudan. Throughout a history spanning 69 years, there has never been a consensus among national governments on a founding platform for Sudan, which has made Sudan a civil state that did not start correctly.”
He believed that the founding conference provided an opportunity for the Tagadum coalition to form a broad national front that constitutes a launching platform for building a new Sudan. He added that they will wait until the end of the conference to present their vision to the new leadership body of the alliance.
Amun described the humanitarian situation in Sudan as dire, noting that some areas, such as Darfur, suffer more than others. He affirmed the principle of indivisible human dignity, stressing that the fragmentation of humanitarian work is unacceptable, as is the case in the proposal by the Port Sudan government to distribute humanitarian aid to only three states.
Amun explained that restricting humanitarian aid to certain areas is not sufficient, as other areas affected by the war need assistance. He questioned why the government did not include all those affected by the war across Sudan, considering that humanity should encompass everyone. “If genuine humanitarian intentions exist, aid should include all war-affected people in Sudan.”
Inclusive humanitarian negotiations
Amun denied that the SPLM-N had requested or conditioned the inclusion of the Rapid Support Forces in the negotiations, saying, “We did not say the Rapid Support Forces should be included. Instead, we said that there are parties controlling areas, and if those parties are left out of any agreement, they can obstruct the delivery of aid. These parties control areas with citizens who need assistance.”
However, he confirmed that the SPLM-N has a clear vision represented by a specific and clear request that all parties bearing arms and fighting in Sudan should be part of an agreement to reconcile humanitarian conditions so that no agreement related to the delivery of humanitarian aid is obstructed.
Addressing historical root causes
Regarding the reservations expressed by party members of Tagadum concerning some issues included in the “Nairobi Declaration” signed between the coalition’s leader, Abdallah Hamdok, and the head of the SPLM-N leader, Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, two weeks ago, Amun said: “Our position in the SPLM-N is clear. Delaying the discussion of the historical roots of Sudan’s recurrent wars leads people to avoid addressing these causes, resulting in the continuation of wars. The time has come for Tagadum to bravely face and put all these issues on the round table or any other platform to discuss and resolve them. Otherwise, this country that we all belong to will eventually disintegrate due to our failure and lack of courage to address the causes of wars that erode the state’s foundations.”
Amun expected that the Tagadum Coordination would not be influenced by old Sudan ideas, considering that allowing such influence would not advance the coalition.
Amun was referring to the position of the National Umma Party, which says that an agreement on a secular state should only be discussed and endorsed by a constitutional conference to be held after the end of the war.
Scepticism towards Egypt-hosted dialogue
The SPLM-N Secretary-General emphasized that the SPLM-N has not yet received an invitation from the Egyptian government to participate in the intra-Sudanese dialogue meeting scheduled for next June to discuss ways to end the current crisis.
He expressed scepticism towards the proposed Egyptian dialogue, viewing it as a potential rehash of the 2015 dialogue process orchestrated by al-Bashir to maintain his grip on power.