Al-Nur renews his refusal for peace talks before protection of civilians
February 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – A Darfur rebel leader Thursday has reiterated his demand to protect civilians and restore security in Sudan before to take part in a comprehensive process aiming to change the regime.
Since last January, the Sudanese government army and its allied militias launched a military campaign on the position of the SLM-AW, saying his fighters attack commercial convoys and become source of insecurity in Jebel Marra area.
In a statement issued Thursday, al-Nur said that his group since its inception was struggling to achieve a genuine peace, involving all the different Sudanese political and armed groups as well as civil society organizations.
He added this peace, which should pave the way for security and stability and address the historical root causes of the crisis and realize comprehensive change, should be reached through three steps.
The first phases has to deal with the security on the ground, by stopping bombing and shelling of civilian objectives, disarmament of government militias, compensation of displaced persons and refugees and resettling them in their original villages.
He further said the government should stop attacks on Darfur students and the ongoing operations to destroy Nubian civilization through the construction of new dams. He further mentioned the need to save lives of people in eastern and north Sudan from tuberculosis, and other diseases causes by nuclear waste.
Also he called for the release of political detainees and ensuring public freedoms, adding that his group would not be part of piecemeal peace agreements with the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.
According to the statement, the second phase is the crisis management and addressing its root causes through a fair sharing of wealth, power and services.
The third phases will witness the organization of dialogue among Sudanese and regions leading to the formation of a transitional government tasked with the organization of a constitutional conference and general elections monitored by the international community after the adoption of the constitution.
The SLM-AW is a member of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) led by Gibril Ibrahim. However, it is not member of the “Sudan Call” coalition which gathers the main armed and political opposition groups.
(ST)