SPLM-N’s al-Hilu appoints new deputies forms committees to draft organisational structures
August 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Abdel Aiziz al-Hilu, the leader of a Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLMN-al-Hilu) Tuesday appointed two deputy chairmen and a new chief of general staff. Also, he appointed the members of a committee tasked with the organisation of the group’s extraordinary national convention.
Last June, the Nuba Mountains Liberation Council (NMLC), an SPLM-N political body in South Kordofan State decided to remove Malik Agar from the leadership of the group and replaced him by his deputy Abdel Aziz al-Hilu.
His appointment was also supported by the military command which urged him to hold the Movement’s general conference within one month.
Al-Hilu, for his part, vowed to reunite the group and to build the temporary national structures to prepare for the General Conference.
In a statement issued by SPLMN al-Hilu spokesperson, Arnu Arnu Ngutullu Loddi, al-Hilu appointed two deputy chairmen Lt. Gen. Joseph Tukka Ali and Lt.Gen Jagod Mukwar Marada. Both have been promoted from Major General to Lieutenant General together with Lt.Gen Izzat Kuku Angelo who is appointed SPLA-N Chief Of General Staff.
Al-Hilu reinstated seven officers “arbitrarily retired” including Brig. Gen. Ramadan Hassan Nimir who was very hostile to al-Hilu, Brig.Gen. Yasir Jafar al-Sanhuri. The seven had been suspended in August 2015.
The statement also reinstated a number of SPLM-N member who had been sacked from the rebel group such as Arnu Ngutullu Loddi -SPLM/A-N official spokesman, and Omer Mustafa Shurkian – SPLM/N representative in UK and Ireland.
Furthermore, Loddi was appointed at the head of the SPLM/A-N Extraordinary National Convention Organizing Committee (ECOC) which will be supported by two subcommittees one for the drafting of SPLM/A-N Manifesto and the second for the drafting of the SPLM-N Constitution.
The rebel faction recently has announced a six-month cessation of hostilities but it did not yet meet the African Union mediation team or convened with the other faction led by Malik Agar on a joint position in this respect.
Different sources at the African Union and in Khartoum say there are no plans for a meeting between the SPLM-N al-Hilu and the African Union mediator for Sudan peace process Thabo Mbeki.
The rebel group is expected to focus during the upcoming months on the organisational matters before to engage in peace talks with the government.
(ST)