Ahmed Mohammed Harun, the governor of South Kordofan state has claimed that Sudanese rebel group, the SPLA-N have used the agreed demilitarised border buffer zone to carry out illegal smuggling following Sudan’s agreement with South Sudan last September.
“It’s become a channel for the entry of armed movements that are sustained by South Sudan’s government in addition to the smuggling of logistical materials that supports and strengthens the rebels in order to hit the border areas,” Harun claimed.
The governor made these claims during a peacebuilding conference South Kordofan and East Darfur states which was held in al-Daien town and added that his state is fighting a number of South Sudan’s states on several border fronts. He claims that his neighbour to the south has strategic plans for military operations along the border which continues to cause instability in the region.
“Peace is a principle position but you can’t buy it with any price. The Sudanese government has made enough concessions in order to achieve peace with South Sudan and now we can’t provide more than that,” Harun commented.
He further accused South Sudan’s government of supporting the establishment of a demilitarized zone in order to support the Sudanese rebels’ movements.
Claiming that South Sudan almost totally relies on goods and commodities imported from Sudan, he complained about the frequency of ‘smuggling’.
However, the conference was also successful in its focus on resolving localised conflict. Hassabo Mohammed Abdel Rahaman, the minister for decentralized governance in Sudan highlighted during the course of the forum that the peace and reconciliation conference is the basis for a peaceful co-existence between the tribes. It is also, he claimed, the means required to resolve conflict which can foster development and enable the delivery of basic services in the region.
He claims to expect the conference to provide resolutions and recommendations that will put contribute towards ending conflict in South Kordofan.
He added that the discovery of the new oil fields in the region has added to existing sources of conflict and revealed that the federal government is currently trying to revise its policy of compensation in oil-rich areas in order to avoid land dispute.
Photo: Ahmed Mohammed Harun, Governor of South Kordofan