Yasser Arman, Secretary General of the SPLM-N and a leading figure in the Sudan Revolutionary Front, accused the Sudan government of blocking implementation of the humanitarian access agreement which was signed in early August between Sudan and the ‘Tripartite Partners’ of the African Union, Arab League and United Nations.
The ‘tripartite proposal’ was put forward by diplomats as a way to open up aid access into the Nuba Mountains and southern Blue Nile. It was signed months after the US-funded famine warning agency FEWS-NET issued a warning of a severe emergency for rebel-held parts of South Kordofan.
The 5 August agreement consisted of separate memoranda of understanding between Sudan and the tripartite partners and another between SPLM-N and the partners.
In an interview with Azhari Guda of Nuba Reports, Arman said that the humanitarian crisis was the biggest issue at the latest leadership summit of SPLM-North.
Describing as ‘historic’ the leadership meeting, Arman explained that more than 200 leaders of the Movement attended the event in a hall dedicated to the Nuba war hero Yusif Kuwa. Participants included party leaders, women and native administration officials and representatives of the displaced populations. The meeting resulted in important resolutions as well as a review of the political and military conditions of the Movement, he said.
But he emphasized that the biggest issue facing the participants was the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the ineffectiveness of the agreement that was signed by the Sudanese government three weeks ago.
The opposition figure also suggested that SPLM-N is open to further negotiations with the regime. “The war was forced on us,” Arman said. “We want a peaceful solution.”