Sudan reiterates rejection for humanitarian access from abroad

September 20, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government renewed its rejection for the delivery of humanitarian assistance from Ethiopia as the African Union chief mediator Thabo Mbeki is expected to visit Khartoum in the upcoming days.

“The demand of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement- North (SPLM-N) for the humanitarian access across the border is a call for the continuation of war and the dismantlement of Sudan. Also, it is an attempt to force the government to concede the sovereignty of the Two Areas in favour of the SPLM-N,” said the head of the government negotiating team and member of the national dialogue mechanism (7 +7) Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid on Monday.

Speaking after a meeting of the 7+7 committee at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum, Hamid reiterated the government categorical rejection to any preconditions on the cessation of hostilities, adding that the meeting discussed the position of SPLM-N and Darfur movements following the signing of the roadmap.

Last Saturday, the presidential assistant accused political and armed opposition of lack of seriousness and stressed that peace and political talks would stop by the end of the national dialogue conference which will start on October 10th.

In a response to Hamid remarks, the spokesperson of the SPLM-N negotiating team Mubarak Ardol said the government has no desire to achieve peace but negotiates under international pressure.

“We are with equal dialogue to stop the war, provides freedoms and paves the way for (democratic) change, and the (government led-)dialogue is dead. Ibrahim Mahmoud has to stick to his remarks and concludes his unregrettable dialogue on October 10. It is a waste of money and time, and rejected by all national forces and even for those who had bet on this process on good faith It became clear to them the lack of seriousness of Ibrahim Mahmoud, his party and his government.”

MBEKI’S VISIT TO KHARTOUM

A member of the government negotiating delegation Hussein Karshoum announced that the head of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki would visit the Sudanese capital in the coming days to present new proposals to the government before the resumption of negotiations.

Karshoum expected the resumption of peace talks on Darfur and the Two Areas in Addis Ababa soon. He further stressed the government’s keenness to achieve peace.

The peace talks were supposed to resume this month but, JEM leader Gibril Ibrahim said the mediation didn’t yet determine a date for the next round of talks over the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access.

Ibrahim further said the mediation should not call for a new round of talks before good preparations.

(ST)