By Addis Getachew
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) – As African Union mediators try to bring the Sudanese government and armed opposition to a settlement, another group is demanding access to the talks.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement — Silent Majority (SPLM-SM) is demanding inclusion in the peace process.
In a news conference Thursday, SPLM-SM chairman General Esmail Glab said his group, which includes former founders of the SPLM-North and civil society organizations — “have intentionally been excluded”.
“We are here to represent the SPLM-SM as well as some of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile Civil Society organizations,” he said, adding: “We…consider ourselves indispensable partners in this peace dialogue and negotiations processes.”
Direct talks began Wednesday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa between representatives of the Sudanese government and armed opposition groups based in Sudan’s conflict-ridden South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
The talks come after a four-party opposition alliance — that includes a Darfurian rebel group — signed a roadmap agreement earlier this week with Khartoum.
On Monday, four Sudanese opposition groups signed the roadmap agreement proposed by African Union mediators. The government signed that roadmap in March.
“We are afraid that this peace will suffer and encounter great challenges… [I]t will not be acknowledged by us,” General Glab said at the news conference he gave along with six other members of the group.
Asked by Anadolu Agency if they had already made their demands to mediators, General Glab said two letters were submitted to the African High level Implementation Panel chair Thabo Mbeki, a former South African president. However, Mbeki has yet to reply, Glab said.
