SPLM-N Rift: Agar accuses al-Hilu of inciting tribal clashes in B. Nile
June 15, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Malik Agar, leader of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement- North (SPLMN-Agar) warned against the escalation of intercommunal fighting in the Blue Nile State and accused his former deputy Abdel Aziz al-Hilu of instigating recent tribal clashes there.
In an open message on Wednesday to the traditional leaders and Native Administration members in the SPLM-N controlled areas in the Blue Nile, Agar warned against attempts to ignite tribal difference and to affect the unity of the Blue Nile ethnic groups.
“The political crisis we are facing within Sudan People’s Liberation Movement- North (SPLMN) should not be used to jeopardise the Movement reputation and to spur inter-communal fighting as that occurred in the SPLMN’s controlled area in Blue Nile region,” he said.
Agar went further to say that al-Hilu after his resignation, had reached out to the leaders of the Uduk ethnic group, in a bid to incite them against Agar and to gain their support.
“Comrade Abdalaziz’s outreach to Uduk leaders posed the question: “Now I am demanding self-determination, why do not you join me?”Agar stressed, accusing al-Hilu of igniting the clashes that resulted in the death of many people.
The Christian-majority Uduk live along the border with South Sudan and call for self-determination in order to join South Sudan.
“I condemn the violence that took place in refugee camps and within the SPLMN’s controlled areas in the Blue Nile, and pledge all my support to the victims of this violence and their families,” said the rebel leader.
He pledged to exert the needed efforts to “bring the Blue Nile region back to its condition of unity and coexistence, and to support the cohesion and strength of the SPLM-N”.
Also, he said he has taken steps to prevent such things from happening in the SPLM-N held areas in the Nuba Mountains, South Kordofan state.
Agar further formed a High Committee, chaired by the Governor of the SPLM-N controlled areas in the Blue Nile state, Zayed Essa Zayed, including representatives from different ethnic groups, Native Administration and aid officials to assess the humanitarian situation and to build up an efficient humanitarian response.
In addition, the Committee is tasked with the investigation and documentation of the human rights violations committed in the recent fighting, and to determine the right mechanism to try the perpetrators of human rights crimes.
As a result of a rift that started earlier this year and its successive developments, the SPLM-N is now of split into two factions one led by Agar and the other by his rival al-Hilu.
Frustrated by the rejection of his demand for the self-determination by Agar and the Secretary General Yasir Arman, al-Hilu gained the support of the Nuba Mountains Liberation Council which decided to install him as a temporary chairman and relieved Malik Agar from the leadership of the armed group together with Arman.
(ST)