SPLM-N discusses governance and humanitarian issues in Tanzania

April 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan people’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) leadership Saturday said it held a second workshop in Tanzania on issues of governance and humanitarian access to the war affected areas in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan state.

In a statement issued on Friday SPLM-N negotiating team spokesperson Mubarak Ardol said the workshop took place in the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam from 10 to 14 April. He added that leading members representing the various institutions of the group participated in the meeting together with the SPLM-N leader Malik Agar, his deputy Abdel Aziz Hilu and the secretary general Yasir Arman.

“The workshop addressed the future government system in Sudan and self governance in the Two Areas, the humanitarian crisis and the best way to resolve the issue of humanitarian access,” Ardol said.

However, he didn’t elaborate on the outcome of the meeting.

Since the eruption of hostilities in the Two Areas in 2011, the SPLM-N and Sudanese government have failed to strike a deal on the humanitarian access to the affected civilians. The Sudanese rebels refuse the involvement of Khartoum aid body in the operation or the transit of relief through the government controlled territory.

Also, the during the previous rounds of talks, the SPLM-N said they want to a regional autonomy for the two states, but the government rejects the demand saying they can only carry out a popular consultation on the future of the two states as it is provided in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005.

In October 2015, the SPLM-N organized a first workshop on these matters before to engage in talks with the government in November of last year.

(ST)