Armed groups want peace talks in case of regime change in Sudan: JEM
March 6, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The representation of the armed groups in any transitional government formed in the event of regime change in Sudan does not mean abandoning negotiations aimed at addressing the issues caused by the war in Darfur, said the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Gibril Ibrahim.
Sudanese opposition forces are holding consultations to name the transitional government, which will lead the country during a four-year period, to end war and resolve the economic crisis before to hold general elections.
JEM, Sudan Liberation Movement- Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) and the SPLM-N led by Malik Agar are part of the Sudan Call alliance which is one of the signatories of the Freedom and Change Declaration. They are backing the peaceful protests in Sudan to topple the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.
Reaching a sustainable peace requires dealing with the roots of the Sudanese conflict in a serious and comprehensive way and to address the consequences of the war in a satisfactory and fair manner that removes the accumulated injustice, Ibrahim told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.
Further, he pointed to the need for concluding a security arrangements deal that determines the fate of the fighters of the armed movements and their weapons.
“The issues of war can only be resolved by negotiations between the warring parties, and the issues of the war-affected regions cannot be dealt with in public conferences. Therefore, negotiations between the armed movements and the government are inevitable even in the case of a transitional government in which the armed movements are represented,” he said.
It is noteworthy that some opposition forces refuse to negotiate with the movements during the transitional period, considering that the participation of the armed forces in the transitional government allows addressing their concerns.
Ibrahim pointed out that the injustice and marginalization have prevailed since early national rule after the independence, but successive governments failed to address the roots of the problem.
“The government of Al-Ingaz has exacerbated the situation by igniting wars throughout the country and resorting to excessive military and security solutions to a political issue,” he added.
The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur and the People’s SPLM-N led by Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu are not part in the Sudan Call coalition and have not made a clear position on what they would do during the transitional period in case of regime change.
(ST)