Lt. Gen. Lazaro Sumbeiywo
IGAD Secretariat on Peace in Sudan
IGAD
Nairobi
Kenya
Date: 29th
October 2002
Subject: Nuba Demand
Justice at Machakos Peace Talks
Dear Gen.
Lazaro Sumbeiywo,
We the undersigned political parties, civil societies and
independent Nuba intellectuals would like to draw your attention to the fact
that we are much concerned about the political future of the Nuba Mountains in
central Sudan. The Nuba have played a significant role in the history of the
Sudan and they have contributed economically, politically and militarily to the
formation of the modern Sudan. Currently, Nuba are fighting on all fronts and
making a significant contribution to the struggle as much as, perhaps more than
any other people. This makes them central to the conflict, thus they hold the
vital key for a solution to end the war in the Sudan.
Mr Chairman
Over the years and since independence in 1956 the people of
the Nuba Mountains have suffered gross injustices. They have suffered from
political and economical marginalisation as well as from ethnic and religious
discrimination under all national governments that ruled Sudan.
The three million Nuba people for many years have expressed
their concern on the unfair polices committed by the national Governments;
drawing their attention peacefully to these injustices and imbalances.
Unfortunately, these concerns seem to fall on deaf ears. This is one of the
reasons which have driven many Nuba to take up armed struggle to achieve their
collective rights. They have been fighting alongside the Sudan People’s
Liberation Army (SPLA) for more than 17 years now.
During this period the government tried to stop the Nuba from
joining the SPLA by promising to solve the Nuba’s problems and tried to
attract some Nuba leaders by offering them positions in the government. However,
these Nuba leaders who have been offered
positions in the government did not have the power to bring about any changes or
development in the region while the Nuba suffering continues. The Government
claims that the Nuba Mountains is part of the North and that the Nuba issue
should not be discussed at all in Machakos. It also continues to deny the Nuba
their political rights and any development carried out in the area.
Such an attitude has been clearly demonstrated in the cease-fire
agreement for the Nuba Mountains, as it recently prevented the Joint Military
Commission from building a primary school in Miri in western Kadugli.
Historically we have had very bad experience with all central governments
dominated by the northern elite. This is one of the reasons that the Nuba
strongly reject any attempt to keep them with the North during the interim
period or future Northern state.
The SPLA equally demands that the Nuba Mountains should be
part of the Southern state on the basis that the Nuba are fighting along side
the SPLA, and claims that the Nuba have something in common with the people of
the southern Sudan, which is Africa-ness. The SPLA would like the Nuba to be
part of the new Sudan. However, many Nuba are sceptical about being with the
South. Because they believe that the Southerners have their own problems
including tribal conflict and the Nuba do not want to be caught up in such
tribal conflicts.
It is clear that both the Government and the SPLA are fighting over who should control the Nuba Mountains yet the people of the Nuba Mountains have not been consulted. We believe that the future of the Nuba Mountains is a matter for the Nuba people alone to decide by themselves.
Mr Chairman
At present the Nuba are divided between the SPLA, the Government and National Democratic Alliance. So far the Nuba in the SLA areas have decided to be part of the Southern state during the interim period, while those in the government–controlled areas and in the Diaspora have refused to join the south and prefer to remain under United Nations supervision during the six years transitional period after which they will have the right to make a proper decision about their future in Sudan. The Nuba will need time to come together before they can make any decision now. We need time to allow our people who had been forcibly removed from the area, to return to their homelands to participate in reconstruction and development of their region. When they have settled and debated their political future and reached political consensus on their future then they can be able to make the right decision.
Mr. Chairman
The Nuba are at the very centre to this conflict and will be
pivotal to any peace settlement. If there is to be a peaceful and just solution
to Sudan’s perpetual conflicts, the Nuba must be among the key players, rather
than seen as peripheral to the entire process.
We would like to see the Nuba cease-fire agreement being
translated into a real peace in the region. We believe that this agreement
should pave the way for a just and lasting peace not only for the Nuba Mountains
but for the whole of our country.
Therefore, we the undersigned support Machakos Protocol
wholeheartedly and we believe that IGAD is the only platform which can deliver
peace and can bring unity to our country. It is for this reason we would like to
bring to your attention the following important points:
Mr Chairman
Finally, we must remember that a peaceful and democratic
solution to Sudan’s conflict can only be achieved if there is a genuine and
comprehensive settlement to the whole conflict in the country, which recognise
the rights of all the peoples of Sudan. Therefore no-one can afford to ignore
the rights of representation of the Nuba and other marginalized people. We wish
that this time IGAD will consider our views on the political settlement for the
people of the Nuba Mountains and other marginalized areas in northern Sudan. We
demand justice at Machakos.
Yours
truly
Signatories:
Name:
Political Party, Civil Society and Independent Nuba intellectuals |
Signature |
1.
Nuba Survival |
Suleiman
Musa Rahhal |
2.
The New National Democratic Party |
Monir
Shakheldin Monir |
3. Nuba
Community in United Kingdom |
Kamal
Kambal |
4. Nuba
Mountains General Union |
Yousif
A. Geberil |
5. The Free
Sudan National Party |
Fr.
Philip Abass Ghaboush |
6.
Sudan National Party Leadership
Council |
Mohammed
Hamad Kuwa |
7. Nuba Intellectual – (Malaysia) |
Dr.
Hunud A. Kadouf |
8.
Nuba Intellectual – (UAE) |
Colonel
Yagoub Ismail |
9. Women
Ru’ya Association |
Zeinab
Mohammed Blendia |
10. Ajang Association – (USA) |
Adam
Ismail |
11.
Nuba Intellectual -
(Canada) |
Nour
T. Abu Rass |
12. Nuba
International Relief and Develop. Council |
Amir
Yousif |
13.
Nuba Intellectual - (Canada) |
Dr.
Ayoub Gafour |
14.
Nuba Intellectual – (Holland) |
Mohammed
Hussein Fino |
15.
International Nuba Mountains Relief, Rehabilitation &
Development Fund (USA) |
El-Sir
Tawer Kafi |
Cc
USA Government – Senator Danforth
Cc
British Government- Alan Goulty
Cc
Norwegian Government – Hilde Johnson
Cc
Italian Government – Silvio BerLucsconi
Cc
Swiss Government-Josef Bucher
Cc
Sudan Government- Ghazi Salah el-deen Atabani
Cc
SPLA – Salva Kiir