Abdel Wahid rejects accusations of committing violence during Sudan protests
December 29, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement Abdel-Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) refuted accusations by the Sudanese authorities that the members of his group were involved in the violence and sabotage during the ongoing protests across the country.
Al-Nur further said that the regime through such “unfounded accusations” is actually attempting to distract the Sudanese people from their battle for freedom and democracy.
On Friday evening the Sudanese government said that the security forces clashed in al-Droushab area with armed elements of the SLM-AW before to capture them. Also, they broadcasted a video where the arrested Darfurians confess they were preparing attack public institutions, burn vehicles and kill protesters.
Furthermore, the State Minister for Information Mamoon Hassan Ibrahim accused the rebel group of planning to kill protesters and to accuse the security forces of these crimes. He also said that the security services captured 47 Molotov cocktails, four Kalashnikov rifles and ammunition.
In response to these accusations, the exiled rebel leader held a media briefing through the social media to refute these accusations. Also, he released a four-page statement to explain the SLM-AW position from the ongoing unrest in Sudan.
“The leadership of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A-AW) unequivocally refutes and repudiates the blatantly fabricated allegations by the regime that the SLM has instigated or participated in any violent action in the nationwide demonstrations against the regime,” reads a statement that al-Nur extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
Al-Nur added the SLM-AW supports the peaceful demonstrations and advocates that they continue as non-violent resistance. Also, he pointed out that the SLA-AW “fighting units” will remain in Darfur far from the peaceful protests.
“The SLM/A stands ready to defend the people of the nation from mercenary killers and torturers of the regime if it becomes our moral duty to intervene to save innocent lives in the major population centres,” he said in his written statement.
Before to add “but let it be known that while the purely civil and non-violent elements of the SLM will engage in legitimate protest alongside their comrades from across the spectrum of the Sudanese opposition and people”.
The SLM-AW rejects to engage in peace talks with the government and refuses to declare a unilateral cessation of hostilities. However, last September it declared a three-month unilateral cessation of hostilities to allow humanitarian access to civilians in landslide-affected areas in Jebel Marra.
The Sudanese government this week admitted that 19 dead including two members of the security forces in the protests that began on 19 December against a rise in bread prices. Also, it said that 219 people were wounded.
Other armed groups said they have no plans to intervene in the peaceful protests to protect demonstrators against the violence of the security forces and the regime militia despite reports of the participation of the Popular Security, a militia of the ruling National Congress Party in the violence against civilians.
DETAINED STUDENTS ARE NOT SLM-AW PARTISANS
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Malik Agar and Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) in separate statements denounced the arrest of Darfurians and the broadcasting of a video of confessions saying they are just part of the “racist mobilization against the nationwide demonstrations” against the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.
Also, the Congress of Independent Students (CIS), the student arm of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) said that four of the arrested students are members of its organisation and have a link with any armed group.
“The Congress of Independent Students confirm that the detained students, Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed, Mohamed Fadl Saboon, Ahmed al-Hafez and Hamza Suleiman are members of the CIS section at the Sudan University of Science and Technology and that they are political activists and have absolutely nothing to do with the armed or violent action,” said a statement released d by the student group on Saturday.
For his part, Agar underscored that the arrested “SLA cell” was found guilty, convicted and defamed, even before to be brought before a court.
“These fabricated allegations reveal the racism of the regime as an ideology and a cultural system,” he wondered, adding that this behaviour is contrary to the Constitution and to the religious and morals values of the Sudanese.
“We condemn this despicable racist behaviour and we stand with the sons and daughters of Darfur and all the Sudanese targeted by the regime,” Agar emphasized.
While the SCoP Secretary General Khalid Youssef Omer stressed that the “racist drug will not affect our bodies and that we have the heart of one person and one country”.
The targeting of any student from the Darfur region is targeting the values of citizenship and the common national feeling and also a violation of human rights based on ethnic affiliation.
“The targeting of any student from the Darfur region is targeting the values of citizenship and national common feeling and also a violation of human rights that we will not accept or be silent on it,” Khalid said.
(ST)