SPLMN Agar calls on Washington to invite Sudanese opposition
June 22, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Agar called on the American administration under President Donald Trump to invite Sudanese opposition forces to Washington to discuss peace in Sudan.
The call comes after reports about a consultations meeting that the Cater Center plans to hold next July in Atlanta, Georgia between the warring parties in Sudan to explore ways to support the stalled African Union efforts for peace in Sudan.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Thursday, the SPLM-N Agar spokesperson, Mubarak Ardol, warned against the use of Cater meeting to cover the lift on the economic embargo.
“If the opposition is invited to Washington why it is not invited by the (American) Administration as the former administration has been inviting the regime? And this should be apart from any meetings with the government,” said Ardol.
He further said that such a meeting will provide the opportunity for the opposition to present its point of view, in particular, there is a new administration with which they would like to raise the opposition’s view on Sudan’s current situation.
Last Sunday, Gibril Ibrahim the leader of Justice and Equality Movement, confirmed to Sudan Tribune they had been approached by the Carter Center for the meeting but he stressed they do not expect the meeting takes place soon, adding they have not yet received an official invitation until now.
Ardol said they didn’t receive an invitation from the Cater Center for the consultations.
But he added they had been reached by international circles to explore our views on the initiative of Carter Center to gather the government and the opposition to meet in Atlanta, Georgia, “and asked questions from the Carter Center about how to represent the SPLM-N”.
In December 2016, the SPLM-N declined an invitation by the Carter Center for a workshop in Nairobi to discuss how to bring peace in Sudan gathering the opposition forces.
The African Union High-Level Implementation Pane (AUHIP)has been seeking to end the conflict for several years. However, since last August, the peace talks are deadlocked over the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access deals.
Already, Germany and Uganda had organised unofficial consultations meetings between the government and armed opposition groups in order to narrow the gaps between the warring parties without tangible progress.
(ST)