The SPLA-North delegation at the peace talks in Addis Ababa called for the immediate release of three signatories of the ‘Sudan Appeal’ who were arrested in Khartoum Saturday.
Sudanese security forces picked up head of the opposition National Consensus Forces Farouk Abu Issa, Sudan Human Rights Monitor President Amin Mekki Madeni, and Farah Agar, less than a day after their return to Khartoum from Ethiopia.
On 3 December, the three signed a declaration with armed rebel groups entitled the ‘Sudan Appeal’ demanding end of war and democratic transition in Sudan.
In a press conference at the African Union office yesterday, Yasser Arman, Secretary General of the SPLM-N and chief negotiator at the talks on the Two Areas, said they formally asked the African mediation to work for the immdiate release of the three detainees.
He stressed that the arrest of the political figures shows the government’s lack of interest in the national dialogue.
In a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj, members of the opposition alliance National Consensus Forces also condemned the arrests as “the arbitrary acts” of the security forces and a restriction of freedoms.
“The arrests will never diminish the struggle of the alliance and the Sudanese people against the dictatorial regime until it is overthrown,” read part of the statement.
Separately, Arman of the SPLM-N further disclosed that positions of the two delegations at the peace talks are still too far apart with regards to the solution of the Sudan crisis.
He pointed out that the government is insisting on partial solution while the SPLA-N wanted a comprehensive solution.
The SPLA-N chief negotiator indicted that they presented a proposal on the comprehensive solution and a two-track approach on peace process, besides a preparatory meeting of the constitutional conference at the African Union in Addis Ababa.
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