Another Darfur rebel group reintegrates SLM-Al-Nur

May 11, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — The chairman of the Revolutionary Democratic Forces Front (RDFF) Salah Abu Surra, announced today the reunification of his group with the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur stressing the need to work together for a regime change in the country.

“We have no choice but to return to the Movement and reunite, said Abu Surra. “We hope to be the avant-garde in the project of change in Sudan and to build a democratic and federal state founded on citizenship, multiculturalism and multiethnicity,” he further added.

The head of the RDFF, Salah Mohamed Abdel Rahman “Abu Surra” who was a founding member of the SLM quitted the rebel group in 2005 following the dissidence of Minni Minnawi preferring not to be part in his difference with the founder Abdel Wahid and eventually bridge the gaps between them.

Born in Kosti and grew up in Ed Daen South Darfur, Abu Surra established the Revolutionary Forces Front in 2005 with Ibrahim Mohamed El Zubaidi, who belongs also to Al-Rizzaigat one of the Arab tribe in the region. The latter was killed in October 2010 by the Sudanese army after his refusal to the Doha process while some members of Zubaidi faction joined the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM).

Abdel Wahid Al-Nur welcomed the return of RDFF leader to the SLM saying “Abu Surra is a founding member of the group and has returned to his natural place among us”. He further said the SLM is seriously working to establish a nationwide coalition for regime change in Sudan.

In a statement released last April called “New Beginning” Al-Nur called on the Sudanese political and armed forces, and civil society groups to work together with the SLM to “establish a secular, democratic, liberal, and federal state based on the right of equal citizenship, political pluralism and peaceful transfer of power”.

“We renew our call to all the political forces to reunite, ally or coordinate with us to politically or militarily achieve change in Sudan,” Nur further said.

Two days ago the SLM-Juba Unity, a splinter faction, reintegrated the SLM led by Abdel Wahid Al Nur. Al-Hadi Idriss Yahya, the political secretary of the group said they consider Darfur conflict as a national problem that can only be resolved through a national framework” and overthrowing the National Congress Party regime.

Sudanese army keep attacks on rebels groups in Darfur as peace negotiations with the Justice and Equality Movement are progressing very slowly in Doha. The LJM of Tijani El-Sissi ended the talks with the Sudanese government and said ready to sign a peace agreement after a stakeholder meeting to be held at the end of the month.

In an interview conducted with him last March, Abu Surra predicted the dismemberment of the LJM saying all the rebel movements formed by foreign brokers to facilitate a peace agreement have failed to reach their ends. He further claimed that these groups seek to reach power through the negotiating table.

(ST)