{"id":172235,"date":"2020-09-30T19:22:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-30T19:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dabangasudan.preview.websight.nl\/conference-in-eastern-sudan-demands-right-to-self-determination\/"},"modified":"2024-04-27T20:50:15","modified_gmt":"2024-04-27T18:50:15","slug":"conference-in-eastern-sudan-demands-right-to-self-determination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/conference-in-eastern-sudan-demands-right-to-self-determination","title":{"rendered":"Eastern Sudan conference demands right to self-determination"},"content":{"rendered":"

The participants of the Peace, Development and Justice Conference,\u00a0organised by the High Council of Beja Nazirs* and Independent Chieftains in Sinkat in Red Sea state, demand the right to self-determination for the region<\/a>. Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan \u2018Hemeti\u2019, vice president of the Sovereign Council, attended the final day of the conference yesterday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The recommendations of the conference<\/a>, that started on Sunday, were presented to Hemeti. They include a unification of the three eastern Sudan states (Red Sea state, Kassala, and El Gedaref) into one region, \u201caccording to historical geographical boundaries\u201d.<\/p>\n

The region has the \u201cfundamental human right to self-determination\u201d, the memorandum states. Any interference from \u201coutside\u201d is rejected. Eastern Sudan should be ruled by its own people, and power must be shared at all levels. A joint high coordination body with representatives from all eastern Sudanese communities should be formed to prepare all this.<\/p>\n

The eastern Sudanese leaders further demand the immediate cessation of all residential and agricultural schemes and land approvals, as well as a stop to all mining operations \u201cuntil the foundations are laid that serve the interests of the people in the region\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’ greets eastern Sudanese leaders
\nupon arrival in Sinkat yesterday (Social media)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Head of the Hadendowa clan and Chairman of the Beja Council Sayed Tirik said during his closing speech that eastern Sudan has been marginalised and has been suffering from injustices since Sudan became independent in 1956.<\/p>\n

He denied the existence of tribal problems in eastern Sudan. \u201cWe do not fight other tribes. We will not bother the authorities with such problems.\u201d He warned against \u201cnew parties who want to steal the revolution\u201d.<\/p>\n

Lt Gen Hemeti, who is not only Vice President of Sudan\u2019s Sovereign Council but also Commander in Chief of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), acknowledged \u201cthe dire humanitarian situation in eastern Sudan\u201d, and promised \u201cto solve the problem of the three eastern states in the coming days\u201d.<\/p>\n

He lauded \u201cthe eastern Sudanese model of peaceful coexistence, suitable for teaching in universities\u201d, and said that the recent clashes between ethnic communities<\/a> are \u201cstrange\u201d to him.<\/p>\n

A number of Sudanese community leaders do not agree with the outcomes of the conference. They support the contents of the eastern Sudan track peace accord agreed upon in Juba. They adhere to the principle: \u201cA tribe is for all, a political party is personal\u201d.<\/p>\n

For this reason, a group of 22 tribal chiefs separately handed Hemeti a memorandum in which they reject \u201cany direct involvement of the Native Administration in politics, which would be political action under a tribal cover and which would create discord and confusion in the eastern Sudanese society\u201d.<\/p>\n

The conference held in Sinkat last week is not the first attempt to challenge the eastern Sudan track accord<\/a>, that was signed in Juba in February this year by the Sudanese government and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance as part of the comprehensive peace agreement<\/a> for Sudan.<\/p>\n

Eastern Sudanese leaders already denounced that track accord on eastern Sudan before it was signed<\/a> in February. Abdallah Mousa, chairmperson of the Beja Congress-Freedom and Change faction, categorically rejected the deal,<\/a> calling it \u201cworthless\u201d. The community leaders called for a separate conference instead, to deal with the specific issues of the east.<\/p>\n

* A <\/em>nazir is a state-appointed administrative chief of a tribe, according to the Native Administration system in Sudan.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Radio Dabanga\u2019s editorial independence means that we can continue to provide factual updates about political\u00a0developments 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.\u00a0Support Radio Dabanga for as little as \u20ac2.50, the equivalent of a cup of coffee.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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