SPLM-N leadership holds talks in Paris over Sudan’s humanitarian crisis
June 4, 2012 (PARIS) – Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) leadership discussed with new French government officials on Wednesday the political situation in Sudan and humanitarian crisis in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
The two rebel leaders discussed urged France which is a permanent member at the UN Security Council to put more pressures on Khartoum government in coordination with the other members of the international community, reliable sources told Sudan Tribune.
The delegation; in meetings with senior French officials at the foreign ministry and the presidency, explained that Sudan despite its announced acceptance of a tripartite initiative to reach the rebel held areas continue to deny aid groups from working in the rebel held areas.
The SPLM-N leader explained that Khartoum refuses to ink a text prepared by the UN and signed by the SPLM-N asking for a new document including the UN, African Union and Arab League from one side and the Sudanese government on the other side.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres warned Wednesday that the humanitarian situation of refugees camps in South Sudan is close to “breaking point”. He said South Sudan difficult and dangerous conditions together with the continuing massive flows of Sudaneserefugees “mean our operations are severely stretched”.
UN agencies estimate there are 211,700 refugees Sudanese in South Sudan and Ethiopia Some 36,700 of these are in the Assosa region of Ethiopia.
The UN Security Council resolution 2046, which accepted by Khartoum, urges the Sudanese government to allow humanitarian access to the affected civilians in the conflict areas, in line with the international humanitarian law.
The SPLM-N leaders, who also met with the ruling Socialist Party, are expected to meet the Sudanese community in France and to hold a press conference before to leave Paris.
(ST)