The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North led by Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu (SPLMN al-Hilu) said it has dispatched a delegation to meet with the African mediation in Addis Ababa.
Mbeki speaks to participants at the inaugral session of Strategic Consultations Meeting in Addis Ababa on 18 March 2016 (AUHIP Photo)
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, SPLMN-al-Hilu spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi said the delegation has arrived in Addis Ababa on Monday to meet with the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP).
According to Lodi, the delegation is comprised of Amar Amon Daldoum as chairman, Abdallah Ibrahim Abas as deputy chairman, Ahmed Abdel-Rahman Saeed as rapporteur as well as Kuku Gagdoul, Sila Musa Kangi and Al-Jack Mahomud as members.
He stressed the delegation doesn’t intend to negotiate with the regime as reported in some media, saying its task is to update the AUHIP on the situation in areas under the Movement’s control in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states in particular and the Sudanese crisis in general.
“The delegation also will correct some misinformation and clarifies the facts that others [SPLMN-Agar] are trying to distort and blur. In addition, the delegation will explain the procedures and preparations process for the upcoming extraordinary national convention,” he said.
The head of the African Union office in Khartoum Mahmoud Kan said on Wednesday that an expert-level meeting with the SPLMN al-Hilu will be held in Addis Ababa on 28 August.
The Sudanese army has been fighting the SPLM-N rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as the Two Areas since 2011.
Talks between the two sides for a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access are stalled since last August. The SPLM-N demands to deliver 20% of the humanitarian assistance through a humanitarian corridor from Asosa, an Ethiopian border town.
But the government rejects the idea saying it is a breach of the state sovereignty and a manoeuvre from the rebels to bring arms and ammunition to their locked rebel-held areas in the Two Areas.
The SPLM-N is now divided into two factions: one in the Nuba Mountains led by al-Hilu and the other in the White Nile State led by Malik Agar. The rift emerged several months ago over the right of self-determination and other issues.
SPLMN al-Hilu vowed not to engage in any talks with the government before to hold a general conference scheduled for next October and restructure the group.
On the other hand, Agar’s group said they are only ready for talks on the humanitarian assistance but refuses any discussions on the political agenda.
The meditation met recently with Agar and his group’s secretary general Yasir Arman to discuss ways to resume peace talks.
(ST)