Sudanese gov’t hands over its response to al-Hilu demand for secular state

October 19, 2019 (KHARTOUM/JUBA) – The Sudanese government negotiating delegation on Saturday handed over a response to a draft declaration of principles on issues to be negotiated made by the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu

Reliable sources in Juba told Sudan Tribune that the SPLM-N al-Hilu in its position paper raised a number of demands, including establishing a secular state and the need to consider Sudan’s diversity when it comes to sharing power.

The armed group further pointed out that they call to grant the right of self-determination to the Two Areas in case of failure to respond to these demands.

The Sovereign Council, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the government delegation delivered its response to the rebel proposal to both the SPLM-N al-Hilu and the South Sudanese mediation.

In addition, the government delegation handed over a second paper detailing its perception of the negotiations management process.

In September, the Sudanese government and SPLM-N al-Hilu signed the Juba Declaration on the trust-building measures, the venue and the date of talks.

However, on 14 October the group suspended the talks to protest an attack by government militia on civilians in a rebel-controlled locality. But the government moved swiftly to contain the situation and ordered its troop to bid by the ceasefire.

The group requested a delay of one to two days to study the papers submitted by the Sudanese government delegation before to give their response.

The mediation is expected to make a proposal based on the positions of the two sides in a meeting to be held on Monday and push the two sides to move towards a comprehensive declaration of principles.

In 2017, al-Hilu broke away from the other faction led by Malik Agar because they did not take into account his demand to include the self+deterinmation for the Two Areas if Khartoum refuses to repeal the Islamic laws.

(ST)