sudanslm.net
04 January, 2007
Interview: SLM leader rejects Darfur peace talks with Sudan
Jan 4, 2006 (LONDON) — Rebel leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement rejected peace talks with the Sudanese government to end the four-year conflict in Darfur. Instead, he added that this regime “should go and be replaced by secular democratic system”
Abdelwahed al-Nour
In an interview with the Sudan Tribune, the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Abdelwahid al-Nur said he rejects peace negotiations with the Sudanese government to resolve Darfur crisis.
Al-Nur explained he can not negotiate with a regime that “committing genocide against [Darfur] people”. He also said that the lack of credibility of the ruling National Congress Party undercuts any serious efforts for a negotiated settlement. “This regime has failed to implement one single previous agreement” he said.
According to Al-Nur the solution of Darfur crisis should be within a comprehensive settlement of the Sudan’s problem. “There is only one solution which is that this genocidal regime should go, and to be replaced by secular democratic system.”
Al-Nur detailed for the first time the taken steps to reunite the movement. Also, he explained why the faction of G19 reintegrated the movement.
On the relations with the SPLM, Al-Nur hailed the late Dr John Garang and the current leadership of the movement. But he distinguished between two streams within the SPLM. He clearly supported those who are seeking for “New Sudan”. Nonetheless he demarcated his difference with them because they see the Sudan as one state with two systems (Secular in the South and Islamic in the North). Instead, Al-Nur expressed his preference for a united Sudan with a secular state.
All through the interview, the leader of the SLM explained his attachment to the secular state to realize unity and equality in the country. He provided Sudan Tribune a paper, that we publish separately, on this question.
The following is the full text of the interview with the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement Abdelwahid Mohamed Ahmed al-Nur:
Mr. Abdulwahid Mohamed Ahmed Al-Nur, you are the founder and chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), what is the vision of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)?
Al-Nur: Thank you for having me in your nice and comfortable place. First, I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy New Year and Happy Eid Aladha Almubark to the people of Darfur in their Internal Displace and Refugee Camps and to all Darfurians in Sudan and Diaspora, also to the people of Sudan and the international community at large, and we hope that year 2007, will be a year of peace and stability in Darfur, Sudan, Africa and the world.
Second, our vision is very simple, Sudan Liberation Movement is political organization that seeks to create secular united Sudan base on equal citizenship rights and aggregate interests of the all Sudanese people.
ORIGINS OF THE MOVEMENT
When and how the SLM, founded?
Al-Nur: Most of us recognize that Sudan is going through great turmoil. The fundamental reality of our sad political, social, cultural and economic life was dating back to our independent day in 1956, which formulated on the existence of few dominant elites in central governments in Khartoum. This reality made the majority of our people feel alienated or that the polity is not theirs to engage in. We conceived these precise scopes of exclusion remain the most serious threat to the unity and stability of our country. One of the most important lessons we must remember from the most of political parties (right and left wing political parties) including the current regime is that they have failed to create coherent political visions that give equal representation to our contemporarily diverse Sudanese society. For much of our modern history, the policies of the state are exclusive to some individual, groups and regions. The power is actually concentrated in a central regime’s vision which gave ultimate rights to one or few groups of people to rule the country, and deny the equal representation to the majority of the people of Sudan. Most of the time however, there is constitution policy emphasis on one culture, language and religion hold the idea that all citizens have to assimilate to such ethos. In this regard, most of the Sudanese people are unwilling to tolerate such practices.
An increasing number of people today consider the political process exclusive, unrepresentative, and it has failed to reflect the diversity of all Sudanese people and their regions. A vivid illustration is the constitution set up of the country, in which the fundamental terms of our political life is being decided by a few elites in the central government. They have excluded the majority of the society from their equal citizenship rights. Some people excluded from sharing political power, public office, and many other rights. Regions have been excluded from their equitable share of wealth, development, and socio-economic programs. Of course the dearth of some individuals and groups sharing political power and public office continues in Sudan long before today’s demand and struggle for equal citizenship rights. This exclusion is build into the very calculable conceptual framework of denial of equal rights to some specific individuals and groups of people of our country. At the same time, the regime committed genocide in South Sudan, Nuba Mountains, South Blue Nile and in Darfur and we do not know tomorrow will be in other parts of the Sudan such as Kurdfan, East Sudan or Al Hamdab area in far North Sudan.
The question, then, is, can we let the ongoing genocide continue endlessly? Similarly, can we let the unequal distribution of wealth and power remains heavily controlled by members of few elites in central regimes in Khartoum and let them practicing their exclusion policies forever? Can we expect a just and fair, open process of democracy that is responsive to the public will; as well as consensus about how this process ought to work? Can we achieve respect and equal citizenship rights to all our Sudanese people? Why have we had such difficulty learning to coexist together as a nation? What can be done to eradicate such practices and hold our country and its contemporarily diverse society together?
In early 1990s, when we were Student at University we came up with the idea that we should strive to realize a new system of rule that fully respects our diversity and creates inclusive new democratic system. For these reasons, we came up with idea of Secular United Sudan, and we believe that this is the only method of solving our problems and keep us united together as a nation.
To achieve our Secular objective, we went through different strategic plans (civil, military, diplomatic and political mobilization). First, the civil mobilization, we mobilize our civil society against the few elites whom using religion (Islam vs. Christianity/ Islamic Jehad against non muslins) to kill our people in South Sudan, Nuba Mountains, South Blue Nile, Angassana…etc., and at the same time using race and tribe (Arabs vs. non Arabs/African) to commit genocide against our people in Darfur. In the same way, we mobilize our people against the huge economic, social and cultural inequalities all over the Sudan.
Second, the military mobilization; unfortunately, the regime was committing genocide against our people in Darfur. We tried to convince the regime to stop the genocide against our people in Darfur and other places in Sudan and to sit with us and negotiate peaceful political settlement. The regime refused our proposal; and its president Omar Albashir stated clearly in the media that his government will not negotiate with any body unless carrying out weapons against them. So, we have been enforced to create our military faction in 2000-2003, and that was for two reasons, first to protect our people from the genocide against them, and force the regime to sit with us and negotiate the political settlement that we believe is the root causes of the conflict in Darfur and Sudan at large.
Third, the diplomatic mobilization; we worked very hard to enlighten the international community about our just cause, and we believe that we succeeded, and now you can see the positive results from the response of the international community to our just cause. Isn’t it beautiful?
Yes, it is very beautiful. It seems that you are very optimistic?
Al-Nur: Yes, I am very optimistic when you come in here. And there is a reason why. You cannot lead people unless you have a vision and you are optimistic about what you are doing and believe it in your very soul. So, I am not only optimistic, I strongly believe in the decisions I make, I am optimistic that they are going to work. And so, the other thing I want you to know is that no matter how pressurized it may seem, I am not changing what I believe. I might change tactics, but I am not going to change my core beliefs, a belief that Sudan should be a secular state that base on citizenship rights. And I am not changing. I don not care whether they like me at the social life, or not; I will leave this life with my integrity.
We understand that some people in parts of the Sudan disagree with our secular state’s vision. It does not bother us. Our vision is never to promote a religion. Our simple believe is that you should be able to worship freely. People are free to choose their religious and faith, but they are equally Sudanese whether they are Muslim, Christian, or Atheist, they are equal in their citizenship rights. In other words, all Sudanese people are equal and that if we ever lose that, we begin to look like the extremist or religious fundamentalist.
04 January, 2007
Interview: SLM leader rejects Darfur peace talks with Sudan
Jan 4, 2006 (LONDON) — Rebel leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement rejected peace talks with the Sudanese government to end the four-year conflict in Darfur. Instead, he added that this regime “should go and be replaced by secular democratic system”
Abdelwahed al-Nour
In an interview with the Sudan Tribune, the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Abdelwahid al-Nur said he rejects peace negotiations with the Sudanese government to resolve Darfur crisis.
Al-Nur explained he can not negotiate with a regime that “committing genocide against [Darfur] people”. He also said that the lack of credibility of the ruling National Congress Party undercuts any serious efforts for a negotiated settlement. “This regime has failed to implement one single previous agreement” he said.
According to Al-Nur the solution of Darfur crisis should be within a comprehensive settlement of the Sudan’s problem. “There is only one solution which is that this genocidal regime should go, and to be replaced by secular democratic system.”
Al-Nur detailed for the first time the taken steps to reunite the movement. Also, he explained why the faction of G19 reintegrated the movement.
On the relations with the SPLM, Al-Nur hailed the late Dr John Garang and the current leadership of the movement. But he distinguished between two streams within the SPLM. He clearly supported those who are seeking for “New Sudan”. Nonetheless he demarcated his difference with them because they see the Sudan as one state with two systems (Secular in the South and Islamic in the North). Instead, Al-Nur expressed his preference for a united Sudan with a secular state.
All through the interview, the leader of the SLM explained his attachment to the secular state to realize unity and equality in the country. He provided Sudan Tribune a paper, that we publish separately, on this question.
The following is the full text of the interview with the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement Abdelwahid Mohamed Ahmed al-Nur:
Mr. Abdulwahid Mohamed Ahmed Al-Nur, you are the founder and chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), what is the vision of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)?
Al-Nur: Thank you for having me in your nice and comfortable place. First, I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy New Year and Happy Eid Aladha Almubark to the people of Darfur in their Internal Displace and Refugee Camps and to all Darfurians in Sudan and Diaspora, also to the people of Sudan and the international community at large, and we hope that year 2007, will be a year of peace and stability in Darfur, Sudan, Africa and the world.
Second, our vision is very simple, Sudan Liberation Movement is political organization that seeks to create secular united Sudan base on equal citizenship rights and aggregate interests of the all Sudanese people.
ORIGINS OF THE MOVEMENT
When and how the SLM, founded?
Al-Nur: Most of us recognize that Sudan is going through great turmoil. The fundamental reality of our sad political, social, cultural and economic life was dating back to our independent day in 1956, which formulated on the existence of few dominant elites in central governments in Khartoum. This reality made the majority of our people feel alienated or that the polity is not theirs to engage in. We conceived these precise scopes of exclusion remain the most serious threat to the unity and stability of our country. One of the most important lessons we must remember from the most of political parties (right and left wing political parties) including the current regime is that they have failed to create coherent political visions that give equal representation to our contemporarily diverse Sudanese society. For much of our modern history, the policies of the state are exclusive to some individual, groups and regions. The power is actually concentrated in a central regime’s vision which gave ultimate rights to one or few groups of people to rule the country, and deny the equal representation to the majority of the people of Sudan. Most of the time however, there is constitution policy emphasis on one culture, language and religion hold the idea that all citizens have to assimilate to such ethos. In this regard, most of the Sudanese people are unwilling to tolerate such practices.
An increasing number of people today consider the political process exclusive, unrepresentative, and it has failed to reflect the diversity of all Sudanese people and their regions. A vivid illustration is the constitution set up of the country, in which the fundamental terms of our political life is being decided by a few elites in the central government. They have excluded the majority of the society from their equal citizenship rights. Some people excluded from sharing political power, public office, and many other rights. Regions have been excluded from their equitable share of wealth, development, and socio-economic programs. Of course the dearth of some individuals and groups sharing political power and public office continues in Sudan long before today’s demand and struggle for equal citizenship rights. This exclusion is build into the very calculable conceptual framework of denial of equal rights to some specific individuals and groups of people of our country. At the same time, the regime committed genocide in South Sudan, Nuba Mountains, South Blue Nile and in Darfur and we do not know tomorrow will be in other parts of the Sudan such as Kurdfan, East Sudan or Al Hamdab area in far North Sudan.
The question, then, is, can we let the ongoing genocide continue endlessly? Similarly, can we let the unequal distribution of wealth and power remains heavily controlled by members of few elites in central regimes in Khartoum and let them practicing their exclusion policies forever? Can we expect a just and fair, open process of democracy that is responsive to the public will; as well as consensus about how this process ought to work? Can we achieve respect and equal citizenship rights to all our Sudanese people? Why have we had such difficulty learning to coexist together as a nation? What can be done to eradicate such practices and hold our country and its contemporarily diverse society together?
In early 1990s, when we were Student at University we came up with the idea that we should strive to realize a new system of rule that fully respects our diversity and creates inclusive new democratic system. For these reasons, we came up with idea of Secular United Sudan, and we believe that this is the only method of solving our problems and keep us united together as a nation.
To achieve our Secular objective, we went through different strategic plans (civil, military, diplomatic and political mobilization). First, the civil mobilization, we mobilize our civil society against the few elites whom using religion (Islam vs. Christianity/ Islamic Jehad against non muslins) to kill our people in South Sudan, Nuba Mountains, South Blue Nile, Angassana…etc., and at the same time using race and tribe (Arabs vs. non Arabs/African) to commit genocide against our people in Darfur. In the same way, we mobilize our people against the huge economic, social and cultural inequalities all over the Sudan.
Second, the military mobilization; unfortunately, the regime was committing genocide against our people in Darfur. We tried to convince the regime to stop the genocide against our people in Darfur and other places in Sudan and to sit with us and negotiate peaceful political settlement. The regime refused our proposal; and its president Omar Albashir stated clearly in the media that his government will not negotiate with any body unless carrying out weapons against them. So, we have been enforced to create our military faction in 2000-2003, and that was for two reasons, first to protect our people from the genocide against them, and force the regime to sit with us and negotiate the political settlement that we believe is the root causes of the conflict in Darfur and Sudan at large.
Third, the diplomatic mobilization; we worked very hard to enlighten the international community about our just cause, and we believe that we succeeded, and now you can see the positive results from the response of the international community to our just cause. Isn’t it beautiful?
Yes, it is very beautiful. It seems that you are very optimistic?
Al-Nur: Yes, I am very optimistic when you come in here. And there is a reason why. You cannot lead people unless you have a vision and you are optimistic about what you are doing and believe it in your very soul. So, I am not only optimistic, I strongly believe in the decisions I make, I am optimistic that they are going to work. And so, the other thing I want you to know is that no matter how pressurized it may seem, I am not changing what I believe. I might change tactics, but I am not going to change my core beliefs, a belief that Sudan should be a secular state that base on citizenship rights. And I am not changing. I don not care whether they like me at the social life, or not; I will leave this life with my integrity.
We understand that some people in parts of the Sudan disagree with our secular state’s vision. It does not bother us. Our vision is never to promote a religion. Our simple believe is that you should be able to worship freely. People are free to choose their religious and faith, but they are equally Sudanese whether they are Muslim, Christian, or Atheist, they are equal in their citizenship rights. In other words, all Sudanese people are equal and that if we ever lose that, we begin to look like the extremist or religious fundamentalist.
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