By Ngor Arol Garang
March 4, 2012, (JUBA) - The coalition of Sudanese rebel groups,
fighting against the Khartoum government in Darfur, South Kordofan and
Blue Nile states on Sunday, called for a no fly zone to be imposed in
the areas where they are fighting the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) to allow
humanitarian relief to be delivered.
The call comes after Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir
instructed governors in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile to set up training camps for recruits to Sudan’s main paramilitary group - the Popular Defense Forces (PDF) - over the weekend.
The commanding officer of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel
alliance, Abdel-Aziz Al-Hilu, said that Bashir was planning to use the
PDF with Sudan’s official military to attack the group.
Al-Hilu is the former deputy governor of South Kordofan, where
fighting between his group - the northern sector of the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement (SPLM-N) - against SAF and the PDF began in June
2011 after a disputed election result in favour of Sudan’s ruling
National Congress Party (NCP).
In August last year fighting also broke out in Blue Nile and the
SPLM-N’s Malik Aggar, the elected governor, was replaced with a military
ruler by Bashir. In February the SPLM-N and the three biggest Darfur
rebel groups appointed Aggar the head of the SRF coalition, with Al-Hilu
in charge of the group’s military operations.
The SRF claim that they recently took control of Toroge in South
Kordofan and Jau town, which both Sudan and South Sudan say lies within
their territory. South Sudan has denied that it backs the SPLM-N and
that its forces were involved in the Jau attack, despite accusations
from Khartoum.
Al-Hilu told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that the SRF we "not
afraid" of Bashir’s attempts to mobilise the PDF militia, which played a
prominent role on the side of the government during the Sudanese civil
war (1983-2005).
"They have tested our strength and they know us very well. The only
problem is that their attacks targets civilian population making them
[the civilians] becoming the victims of the military operations,"
Al-Hilu said from an undisclosed location.
Khartoum claims that the SRF is using Unity state in South Sudan as a
base for its operations in South Kordofan but Juba denies this.
Al-Hilu said accused the Sudanese army and their affiliates of
deliberately targeting local people perceived to be on the side of the
SPLM-N. He said that Bashir has ordered an “extensive aerial
bombardment” to aid ground attacks by SAF and the PDF against areas
under their control in Nuba mountains, but also in Blue Nile and in
Darfur.
The rebel leader said that Bashir had "declared a war against
Sudanese people in Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile and in Darfur" not just
the rebel groups in these areas. "This is a clear indication that they
are not committed to reaching a peaceful settlement”, he said denying
that they are supported by neighbouring South Sudan.
Al-Hilu said they are ready to defend their positions, however
extensive the attack might be, in order to protect civilian populations
from being attacked by the “notorious and ruthless” Khartoum based
regime.
The Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan saw some of worst fighting
during the civil war, which saw many groups north of the border join
South Sudan’s SPLM in their war with Khartoum.
On Saturday Bashir said he soon planned to pray in the SPLM-N
stronghold of Kauda just as he had done in Kurmuk the former stronghold
of the rebels in Blue Nile state.
"They know our capabilities to protect civil population. We have
always frustrated their attempts to declare control of the areas under
direct control and will we also do the same should they make similar
attempt," Al-Hilu said.
Al-Hilu repeated the SPLM-N’s claim that they do not receive any
international support maintaining that his rebel group sustains itself
from capturing arms from the Sudanese army. The recent attack on Jau,
which the SRF say was successful, had boosted moral he said.
“The moral of our forces is up and we are prepared to launch more
attacks even though we know that Khartoum plans to launch major
offensives targeting areas of Alatmour, Nglu, Alburam and Kauda. The
goal is to take control of Southern part of Nuba Mountain areas but I
think this plan will not succeed”, he said explaining that they have
reports indicating that president Bashir has personally promised to
organise and supervise offensives in the Nuba Mountains.
Al-Hilu said the predicted SAF offensive would be led by Lieutenant
General Alnau Jafar Abu Ashara, Major General Maki Basher Albahi and
Major General Ahmed Khamis.
"The primary objective of this operation targets civilians in order
to force them seek refugee and create a situation in which the
government in Khartoum would claim control of most of the areas and
immediately declare that there are no internally displaced who require
humanitarian assistance in Southern Kordofan State”, Al-Hilu said.
Sudan has, so far, denied any meaningful access to humanitarian
agencies in South Kordofan. Khartoum has also denied the presence of any
Sudanese refugees from South Kordofan and Blue Nile were present in
South Sudan, having been displaced by the conflict. According to the UN
78,000 displaced from the conflict have been forced to seek shelter in
South Sudan since August 2011.
The UN have also accused SAF of bombings along the border, including
the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan’s Unity state. In January the UN
Refugee agency reported that SAF had bombed the Elfoj of Upper Nile state injuring one boy.
Khartoum, which denies bombing South Sudanese territory, seems intent
on finding a military solution to the conflict, according to Al-Hilu.
He claimed that the National Congress Party in Khartoum were planning
more attacks and ignoring the possibility of discussions through the
African Union, UN and Arab Legue to try and get more humanitarian relief
into the conflict zone.
However, after the experience of Darfur, where refugee camps became
strongholds of support for some of the rebel groups, Khartoum wants to
avoid a similar scenario in the new conflict against the SPLM-N.
The NCP also believes that humanitarian aid will find its way to
rebels and prolong the conflict. It refusal to allow relief into the
area has led the US to consider providing assistance without the
permission of Khartoum.
On Saturday Bashir hinted that US special envoy Princeton Lyman is collaborating with Al-Hilu and the rebels.
"They have someone who comes wondering around here" Bashir said in
reference to Lyman. "Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu explained his plan to Lyman and
got his blessings," Bashir claimed.
Al-Hilu told Sudan Tribune that providing humanitarian relief would be hindered by air attacks if a no fly zone was not implemented.
(ST)
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