Senior SPLM-N delegation concludes visit to Sweden
May 23, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – A senior delegation from the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Saturday concluded a visit to Sweden announcing it would participate in a hearing about the situation in Sudan at the European Parliament next month.
He said the delegation met on Friday with several officials at the Swedish foreign ministry including the deputy director general of the foreign affairs and head of the African department, the senior advisor at the foreign ministry, Horn of Africa official and the former envoy to the Horn of Africa.
According to Ardol, the meetings discussed the humanitarian issues and the situation in the conflict areas following refusal of the Sudanese government to open relief corridors.
The delegation briefed the Swedish officials on the government shelling of civilians and violence against women particularly by the government militia besides attacks against students particularly those from Darfur and the arrest of activists and political leaders.
He added the delegation revealed government crackdown on press freedom and the civil society organizations, noting they also discussed efforts to unify the opposition forces and develop a political alternative to rule the country.
The visiting delegation also discussed with the Swedish officials the recent elections and the refusal of the government to engage in a genuine dialogue, noting the regime is only seeking to buy time.
The visit is the first of its kind by an SPLM-N delegation to Sweden since the conflict erupted in South Kordofan and Blue Nile in June 2011.
During its visit to Paris, the SPLM-N delegation had previously discussed with French officials the political situation in the country and the prospects for peace particularly after failure of the pre-dialogue meeting which was to be held last March under the auspices of the African Union mediation.
Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) refused to attend a meeting in Addis Ababa last March to discuss issues pertaining to the national dialogue conference and its procedures.
Khartoum at the time said the African mediation team did not coordinate with the government on who would participate in the meeting, stressing that it would be held at the wrong time given the elections which took place in April.
Consequently, the African mediation announced that it has indefinitely suspended the pre-dialogue preparatory meeting after the government and its affiliated political parties refused to attend.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HEARING
Meanwhile, Ardol disclosed that the SPLM-N delegation would participate in a hearing about Sudan at the European Parliament on 9 June in coordination with the rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the “Sudan Call” forces.
“The SPLM-N delegation would also participate in the meetings of the SRF and the “Sudan Call” forces scheduled to be held later,” he added.
“Sudan Call” forces are expected to participate in the hearing session which would be held at the European Parliament headquarters in the French city of Strasbourg. Other opposition forces are also likely to participate.
Several opposition leaders are also expected to take part in an annual meeting about Sudan to be held in Germany after the hearing.
Ardol said the immediate objective of the opposition should be the unification of its forces and continuation of the work to isolate the regime, pointing to the need for carrying out all issues agreed upon particularly the document about “the road to the popular uprising.”
He warned against ongoing acts of looting, killing and burning of villages in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, calling for revealing those atrocities which he described as “criminal”.
The SPLM-N has been fighting the Sudanese army and their aligned militias in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states since June 2011.
(ST)