Sudan intelligence service raids seminar, detains 17 SPLM-N members

The General Intelligence Service (GIS) in El Abbasiya in South Kordofan is holding 17 members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North faction under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) in their offices since Friday.

Heavily armed military forces stormed a seminar in Gumburiya village south of El Abbasiya town on December 4. The seminar was organised by supporters of the armed rebel movement SPLM-N El Hilu. GIS officers then detained 17 people and took them to their offices in the town.

The topic of the seminar was the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement, signed by the Sudanese government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front rebel alliance on October 3.

Relatives of the detainees were told that the detention of the 17 activists was justified because the SPLM-N El Hilu did not sign a peace agreement with the government yet, and therefore their supporters do not have the right to hold seminars.

In a statement on Sunday, the South Kordofan Forum for Building Sustainable Peace demanded the governor of South Kordofan and the security authorities in El Abbasiya release “all supporters of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement”.

The forum declared their commitment to the joint statement they signed by the government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) in Juba in the end of October, in which they pledged to achieve peace and spare the region more tension and conflicts.

In early September, Hamdok and El Hilu agreed on a roadmap for the peace negotiations.

Last month, several leaders of the Sudanese Forces for Change Alliance (which is part of the SRF rebel alliance that signed the Juba Peace Agreement), were detained by GIS officers. Their offices were raided as well. The heavily-armed forces later apologised for the raid.

* In July 2019, several articles of the 2010 National Security Act were amended, in order to reform Sudan’s infamous National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), and limit its competences. The new GIS is reportedly no longer authorised to detain people or carry out search operations.

Radio Dabanga’s editorial independence means that we can continue to provide factual updates about political developments to Sudanese and international actors, educate people about how to avoid outbreaks of infectious diseases, and provide a window to the world for those in all corners of Sudan. Support Radio Dabanga for as little as €2.50, the equivalent of a cup of coffee.