Addis Ababa Summit and Peace Talks Fail to Recognize Humanitarian Crisis in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile

General Bashir left the Addis Ababa summit with totally failing to recognize the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa today, which came as a result of his war policy and strategy against the civilian populations in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile. Not only that but during the negotiations between the SPLM-N and the Sudan government and at the time of the summit, Khartoum started an early dry season offensive in Blue Nile at the eve of the Addis Ababa summit from ground and air that targeted internally displaced civilians and it resulted in displacing more than 15,000 civilians and continuously targeted the IDPs. On September 27, 2012, the same day documents were signed between the two Sudans; the Sudan air force attacked Hiban, a rural town in the Nuba Mountains, on a market day when approximately 2,000 people gathered from rural areas, which resulted in wounding 6 and killing a woman ..

The Addis Ababa summit ended with a total failure to recognize the humanitarian situation and Khartoum adamantly refused to negotiate with the SPLM-N in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2046 and on the basis of the June 28, 2011 Framework Agreement and to implement the tripartite proposal for humanitarian operations.

The SPLM-N welcomes the Addis Ababa agreements between the two Sudans and any subsequent agreement that will lead to normalized relations between the two Sudans. This is part of the SPLM-N’s conviction, vision and program, and yet what was signed, and in particular when it comes to the demilitarized buffer zone (DBZ) between the two states, there is a need for the cooperation of the SPLM-N, which is not part of the agreements. At the same time, the SPLM-N controls more than 40% of the Sudan international border with South Sudan in Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains. The SPLM/A-N are ready to cooperate and the SPLM-N delegation to Addis Ababa talks proposed on many different occasions that the humanitarian operation and opening of the unrestricted access should be linked to a cessation of hostilities that will end the suffering of the civil populations and provide a conducive atmosphere for the political settlement as well as enabling all the parties to put an effective demilitarized buffer zone in place. We remain committed to this proposal.

Khartoum is continuing its preparations for a full-scale dry season offensive starting from October and November which will definitely deepen the humanitarian crisis; therefore it is becoming more urgent after the failure of the Addis Ababa summit to address and recognize the humanitarian situation. It is time now to focus on this tragedy and to remind ourselves that refusing access for humanitarian aid is a war crime. Protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance is part of the UN’s and the international community’s responsibility that would require condemnation of Bashir’s policies and a swift international response that puts an end to Khartoum’s strategy of buying time.

Yasir Arman

SPLM-N Secretary General and Head of Delegation

Addis Ababa

September 28, 2012