SLM factions demand Bashir to separate peace talks from Sudan’s dialogue
October 10, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Leaders of two Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), factions, Imam Abu al-Gasim and Thaer Hajer, have asked the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir to dissociate between peace talks and the national dialogue process.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune after their return to Ndjamena on Saturday evening, Imam and Hajer said they welcomed President Bashir’s initiative to launch the national dialogue and reiterated it was the only way to resolve the political crisis in Sudan.
Hajer said they stressed that the situation in the conflict areas of the Darfur region, Blue Nile and South Kordofan required special treatment because there are specific problems in these areas.
Asked in separate interviews if they accepted to negotiate under the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) Imam said, “The Doha framework agreement includes some deficiencies and we want to open it for negotiations particularly when it comes to security and wealth distribution issues”.
“What is important is to end war and to achieve a just solution not to stick to this text or that document. Also, the term of the DDPD implementation has ended even if President Bashir extended the mandate of Darfur Regional Authority and its chairman for another year,” added Hajer.
So we must take what is useful and accept to discuss matters that require change, he stressed.
The two leaders said the discussions were frank and that the Sudanese leader was open and responsive to their demands. They also said they would send to Khartoum delegations to participation the work of the six subcommittees of the national dialogue.
On national dialogue, the SLM leaders said they insisted on the need to create a conducive environment, ensure freedoms and release of political detainees and prisoners.
Imam also said the continued attacks and bombardment of civilians in the rebel held areas “send negative signals and cancels the government declaration of ceasefire”.
The two rebel leaders said they asked the Sudanese president to shoulder this historical responsibility and to work for the end of war and end repressions, pointing out that he cannot announce conducive measures and the security apparatus continues to arrest political opponents and prevent them from travelling.
Hajer said they explicitly insisted that the cessation of hostilities should include Darfur and the Two Areas.
The two rebels are not part of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), which has demanded for the implementation of the African Union (AU) roadmap to hold a pre-dialogue meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia before they can join the internal process.
(ST)