With Broken Promises From Khartoum, SPLM-N Holds Historic Meeting in Nuba Mountains

More than 200 leaders of the SPLM-N convened in the Nuba Mountains this week to address numerous issues critical to the conflicted South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions of Sudan.

Despite high hopes in the wake of the Tripartite Humanitarian Agreement signed on August 4th by the United Nations, African Union and League of Arab States, no progress is felt by those thousands in need of its promises. Not only has no aid arrived in the conflict zones, but the anticipated “assessment team,” which would evaluate actual needs from the ground, is nonexistent. The agreement assured these efforts within two weeks of signing. In an interview with Eyes and Ears Nuba, Secretary General of the SPLM-N, Yasir Arman, explained that as the humanitarian crisis grows, Khartoum is “playing gimmicks… and buying time. Nothing has been done.”

As a result of this failure, hunger and homelessness rates soar. While traveling to the remote meeting location in the Nuba Mountains, Arman witnessed hundreds of women carrying paltry amounts of food to their hungry families. Many of their journeys would last five days. President Omar al-Bashir, Arman said, continues to use food as his most powerful weapon.

The historic SPLM-N meeting bolstered its efforts to consolidate opposition parties, both military and civilian. Among these partnerships is the Sudan Revolutionary Front as well as student, women’s and trade union movements. By strengthening these partnerships, the SPLM-N will advance its presence and power in regions in which they currently maintain control, increase military effectiveness and amplify the voice of a people ignored by ruling powers.

An SPLM-N flag emerged from the meeting as an emblem of new directions, a separation from South Sudan. Yasir Arman described the vibrant symbolism of the flag: the black stripe is for the people and the land of Sudan, the first white stripe represents the first peace agreement reached in 2005, the red is for the blood spilled in pursuit of peace, the second white stripe is for the permanent peace for which they currently fight, the blue represents the powerful Nile River and the star is the “guiding star for our struggle.”