John Adoyi, PBA Journalism MenteeAs the conflict in Sudan rages on with both parties showing firepower, two neighboring countries have taken opposite stands in measures needed to bring the conflict to an end.
The President of Neighbouring South Sudan, Salva Kiir has advocated stronger measures from the international community to be put in place to end the conflict that has created a huge humanitarian crisis in the region. While Eritrea has said it does not want a part in the external initiatives that are being put in place to end the conflict, saying that the initiatives were “political bazaars.”
The Vice president of the Sudanese Transitional sovereign council, Malik Agar, stated the position of Eritrea on Sunday after he paid a courtesy visit to the President of Eritrea, Isaias Afwerki who told him that the current initiatives on the conflict in Sudan are “political bazaars in which Eritrea cannot engage in.”
Adding that President Afwerki emphasized “that the situation in Sudan is an internal matter for Sudanese people and cautioning that external intervention would only exacerbate the complexities.”
Sudan’s closest Neighbour, South Sudan asked that the international community do something soonest to bring the situation in Sudan under control due to the humanitarian crises that is bedeviling the country and spilling into South Sudan.
President Salva Kiir who spoke on Sunday during a celebration marking South Sudan’s 12th independence said “The current situation in Sudan is a major concern to everyone. It is now causing immense suffering and exerting immense economic and social pressure on our border communities.”
“This [situation] is really sad. It was an unexpected situation which now requires a fully coordinated and strong action to end what is happening,” he said.
The conflict in Sudan which began April 15 due to a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has displaced over 2.2 million persons inside the country while over 600 thousand persons have fled across border to neighboring South Sudan, Chad, Egypt and Eritrea. Over 3 thousand people have been killed by air strikes and shootings by both forces across the country.
Up to 25 million people in Sudan need humanitarian aid and protection, the UN says.
About 100 thousand persons fleeing the conflict in Sudan are Eritreans who claim that situation in Eritrea is not favourable.
However, President Afwerki told state television that his country would welcome anyone fleeing the conflict in Sudan whether they are Eritreans or Sudanese.
“Eritrea has open borders and without fanfare will continue to receive Eritrean and Sudanese civilians as well as others affected by the current conflict and share with them whatever it has,” the president said.
Despite a series of cease-fire agreements brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia, fighting has not stopped.
President Kiir, however, maintained peaceful dialogue is needed for stability to return in Sudan.
“Now, despite the success of our efforts over the past months working with leaders in the region, I know that there have questions about our efforts in Sudan. The conflict has not stopped and there are efforts for mediation. The situation remains a matter of concern. My answer has been yes, the conflict is continuing and this is the particular issue in which we have invested time to address. When the fighting stops, it will open a way for mediation,” he said.
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