Hemetti reaffirms readiness to sign comprehensive peace agreement

Addis Ababa, January 3, 2024 – Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti”, Commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Tuesday reiterated his commitment to ending the ongoing war in Sudan and signing a comprehensive peace agreement that all armed groups, including those that did not sign the Juba Peace Agreement.

Addressing a joint press conference with former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok in the Ethiopian capital, Hemetti expressed his desire for a “real peace” that would bring an end to the conflict with the army and involve all parties to the Sudanese crisis.

He called on Hamdok, who heads the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum), to initiate dialogue with the leaders of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)-Abdel Wahid and the SPLM-N led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu to secure their participation in the peace process.

“We are extending our hands for peace and the cessation of hostilities in the country,” Hemetti declared. “Our meeting in Addis Ababa is for peace, and we hope that the second party will pursue the path of peace.”

Hemetti accused the Sudanese army of engaging in ethnic cleansing of the people of Darfur and Kordofan, where hundreds of civilians have been killed under the pretence of being RSF members.

He said that the RSF had discovered 132 individuals killed not far from the army command in Madani. They were accused of operating as RSF cells. He also accused Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, of planning the war since the ousting of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

Hemedti staunchly rejected the label of “militia” for the RSF, asserting that they are a legitimate force with a legal framework, just like the Sudanese army. He also dismissed accusations of having an alliance with the Forces for Freedom and Change.

The joint declaration signed by Hemetti and Hamdok on Tuesday, known as the Addis Ababa Declaration, paves the way for an unconditional cessation of hostilities between the RSF and the Sudanese army.

Former Prime Minister Hamdok emphasized the importance of the declaration, calling it a “first building block” towards ending the war. He urged all Sudanese people and Sudan’s foreign friends and partners to support its implementation.

Hamdok commended the declaration’s comprehensive and detailed treatment of the issues at hand and the establishment of mechanisms to ensure the implementation of agreed-upon measures.

Some observers expressed concern that the declaration could legitimize the RSF as a political force, potentially undermining the principle of excluding the armed forces from political involvement.

However, Taqqadum leadership member Yasir Arman viewed the meeting with Hemetti as a positive step towards resolving the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

Arman added that the talks, also, addressed humanitarian issues, human rights violations, and the protection of civilians.

He added that the Addis Ababa declaration aims to support the Djibouti meeting between the army and the RSF leaders and to ensure its success. Also, he called for the inclusion of civil forces in the process.

A delegation from Taqqadum leadership, led by Hamdok, is scheduled to travel to Djibouti on Wednesday for a meeting with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Chair and its secretariat to discuss their involvement in the peace process.

(ST)