Military council meets SPLM-N’s Arman, ending contention over his return to Sudan

May 30, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The Transitional Military Council (TMC) Thursday held a meeting with the deputy leader of the SPLM-N Agar, ending controversy after demanding him to quit the country.

Yasir Arman and Ismail Jalab the Movement’s Secretary General arrived in Khartoum on 26 May despite a death sentence against over his alleged role in a rebellion in the Blue Nile by the former regime in 2014.

His return was welcomed by the political forces and was seen a positive step towards ending the armed conflicts as it would encourage the other groups to follow his example.

But on Tuesday Arman disclosed that he had received several calls asking from the head of the TMC and his deputy urging him to leave the country.

In a surprising statement on Thursday, the SPLM-N Agar said that Arman and Jalab were received by Shams al-Din Kabbashi TMC Spokesperson and Yasir al-Atta of the political committee at the Sudanese presidency.

“The meeting was frank and open and dealt with the current political situation, issues of just peace and ending wars forever,” said the statement.

“The two sides agreed that the issue of war and the achievement of peace is one of the most important issues of transitional arrangements and the climate of revolution and change must be used to achieve peace,” further stressed the statement.

The statement did not mention the TMC demand to leave the country or threats to arrest him.

In another separate statement, Arman said the death sentence against the Movement’s leader and his person was a politically motivated sentence that ended with the removal of the former regime.

“The meeting we have, me and my colleagues, with the political committee of the Transitional Military Meeting has put an end to this issue,” he stressed.

He further said the meeting provided a good opportunity to discuss the major issues of peace, ending wars and comprehensive transitional arrangements.

The threats against Arman were condemned by the political forces and foreign diplomats in Khartoum. Also, British parliamentarians and several foreign officials criticized the military council for this “unwise” decision.

Arman who is also the Sudan Call’s external relations official before to return to Khartoum said he would seek to make peace on the top of the agenda of the transitional period and to promote social justice and equal citizenship in Sudan.

(ST)