RSF’s fate is behind suspension of Sudan’s peace talks: report
On 15 June, the chief mediator announced a pause in the negotiations between the two Sudanese parties for more consultations. He added that only 4 of 19 issues remain unresolved.
However, a Sudanese official told the Dubai based media that, in fact, there are 10 points of contention between the two sides including the security arrangements.
“The SPLM-N proposes to integrate all the armed forces including Rapid Support Forces (SRF) into the national army, as a prerequisite for merging its fighters with the Sudan Armed Forces,” the official told Sky News Arabia.
He added that the Sudanese government proposes to implement the security arrangements first before reforming the security sector.
In the 28 March declaration of principles, the SPLM-N al-Hilu accepted to integrate its combatants in the Sudanese army. This step was seen as a major concession from the rebel group which was calling to maintain its army beyond the transition.
Al-Hilu for a long time voiced his opposition to the SRF militia group set up by the ousted President al-Bashir to fight the armed groups and protect his regime.
Last month, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” Deputy Head of the Transitional Sovereign Council and RSF General Commander was angered by calls to merge his militia, stressing it was established by legislation passed by the parliament of the former regime.
The parties to the peace talks also disagree over some subsidiary issues related to the separation between the state and religion including the Islamic banking system and the judiciary system.
Furthermore, the ban-Arab media said the negotiating delegations diverge about the boundary of the Two Areas as the SPLM-N rejects the separation of West Kordofan from South Kordofan state.
The mediation has not yet determined a date for the resumption of peace talks.
(ST)