SPLM-N Agar and Jalab agree to merger, call for self-rule within united Sudan

November 158, 22017 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Malik Agar and the SPLM- Silent Majority led by Ismail Jalab announced their merger and called for self-governance for the Two Areas within a democratic and united Sudan.

In a joint statement released on Wednesday, Agar and Jalab said they have agreed, after extensive discussion, that “The enemy is the National Congress regime”.

They further agreed to work for a unified democratic and secular Sudan and to build a national movement for all Sudanese based on social justice, equal citizenship and equal membership.

However, they called for self-governance “with broad powers, including the constitutional right to legislate for the Two Areas”

The armed group, which has been fighting the Sudanese government South Kordofan and Blue Nile states since June 2011, split into two factions earlier this year.

Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu who has the support of the Nuba tribes calls for the self-determination for the tiny South Kordofan area but didn’t declare clearly they want to join South Sudan.

In their statement, the former governor of the Blue Nile state Agara and the former governor of South Kordofan state Jalab reiterated that the people of the Two Areas “are among the pillars and nucleus of the Sudanese national building. Their history is linked to the history of the civilizations of the ancient Nile Valley”.

They also stressed their commitment to work with the other democratic forces to achieve their vision for a secular and democratic state in Sudan.

The Two Areas “will be in the forefront of the national battle and will fight with the rest of the Sudanese people to restructure the Sudanese state and build a new Center for the benefit of the Sudanese people, rejecting hegemony, racism, economic and social exploitation”.

The statement called on the SPLM-N led by al-Hilu to negotiate an end for the internal fighting in the Blue Nile State between the fighters of Josef Tika who is now al-Hilu’s first deputy and forces loyal to Malik Agar.

Agar accuses al-Hilu of inciting against him the Uduk, a Blue Nile state ethnic group supporting self-determination.

The two leaders said they decided to form a joint committee to complete the merger process.

Last August, Agar and Jalab met to discuss ways to reunite the SPLM-N.

(ST)