Dialogue Sole Way to Resolving Conflict between Miseeriah,SPLM/A, Defence Minist

By: Zulikha Abdel Razig

January 7, 2008 (Sudan Vision Daily)

Minister of Defence First Lt. Gen. Abdulrahim Mohammed Hussein has underscored dialogue as the sole avenue for resolving the present crisis between Miseeriah and SPLA, which he described as intricate.

At the joint conference he held yesterday with SPLM General Secretary and Cabinet Affairs Minister, Pagan Amum, the Minister of Defence affirmed that the two partners are keen on not returning to war which will lead to the collapse of the peace process.

He revealed that the Government of National Unity has formed a committee, presided over by Amum, to deal with the crisis.

He further stated that the armed forces and SPLA will within this week effect simultaneous withdrawal from the oil regions and South Kordofan and the Blue Nile areas, remarking that SPLM is keen on withdrawing to a distance that is deeper than the administrative borders.

Hussein ascribed the problems that occurred to lack of effective authority in those regions added to the widespread carrying of arms along contact areas.

For his part, SPLM General Secretary, Pagan Amum, considered the clashes between South Kordofan and North Bahr-al-Ghazal States as one of the challenges of peace, pointing out that intricacy of the problem arises from the fact that the conflict between contact regions dates a long way back.

He also held delay in border demarcation as a direct cause for triggering the fighting, added to the weak power of the state in some regions that are dominated by tribal authorities. All these factors have offset several adverse phenomena, Amum said.

He described the fierce fighting that broke out in those regions as a serious development resembling more than anything else a north-south border struggle.

Amum signaled an alert to the government and media bodies on the gravity of the situation, calling for countering it as a challenge for all parties since it impedes the peace process.

"There should be mechanisms capable of managing crises. The SPLM has no interest in confronting tribes," Amum said, adding that peace building is the responsibility of all citizens rather than the Government of National Unity alone.

Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Ahmed Haroun, revealed a number of measures adopted by the central government for leaving the crisis behind, represented in a package of security, political and social measures.

He said the Presidential meeting that will convene today will look into the formation of the committee and that the solutions worked out by the committee were well received by political forces in the country.

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