Sudan: agreement in principle with one of the last rebel groups not to sign the peace agreement
The head general of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the president of the SPLM / AN, Abdelaziz al-Hilu, sign a declaration of principles between the Sudanese transitional government and the SPLM / A - North, in Juba, March 28, 2021. REUTERS - JOK SOLOMUN
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
It is one more step towards peace in Sudan.
The transitional authorities signed, this Sunday, March 28, in South Sudan, a declaration of principle with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of North Sudan (SPLM-N), one of the last rebel groups in the country.
The text will serve as a basis for future peace negotiations.
The SPLM-N, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, refused in October to join the agreements signed in Juba with various rebel groups until Khartoum agreed to separate the state from religion.
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With our correspondent in Khartoum
,
Eliott Brachet
It was a
sine qua non
condition
for the rebels entrenched in the south of the country, in the Nuba mountains (Kordofan-South and Blue Nile), that Sudan become a secular state, respecting the diversity of religions.
For months, the Popular Liberation Movement of North Sudan had not found any common ground with the Sudanese generals and especially with Hemetti and al-Kabbashi who were at the helm in the peace talks sponsored by South Sudan. .
But on Saturday March 27, the head of the Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan traveled in person to Juba and finally signed an agreement in principle with Abdelaziz al-Hilu, the head of the SPLM-N.
The text recognizes the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of Sudan.
"
No religion can be imposed on anyone and the state will not adopt any official religion
," says the document which intends to establish a federal and democratic state where freedom of worship will be respected.
These are all principles that will have to be written into the future Constitution.
From a security point of view, the SPLM-N forces should join the official army at the end of the transition period, that is to say by 2024.
For the moment, the rebels and the Sudanese army are committed to respecting the fragile ceasefire in force since the fall of Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
Read also: Sudan: a historic peace agreement signed between the government and rebels
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