February 14, 2012 (WASHINGTON) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday issued a statement calling on both the Sudanese government and rebels from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) “to allow immediate access to United Nations personnel, including access to conduct a needs assessment” in the border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile".

“The members of the Security Council expressed their deep and growing alarm with the rising levels of malnutrition and food insecurity in some areas of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States in Sudan, which could reach emergency levels if not immediately addressed, and with the lack of access for international humanitarian personnel to conduct an assessment of the situation and deliver urgently needed assistance” read the statement endorsed by the 15 nation council.

Sudan’s army has been fighting SPLM-N rebels in South Kordofan as of June 2011 and in Blue Nile since September of last year.

Rebels in the two states were part of South Sudan’s army before the latter gained independence last July. Khartoum persistently accused the new state of providing support to SPLM-N fighters but Juba routinely denies the allegations.

The United Nations (UN) and United States (US) have warned that humanitarian situation in rebel held areas in the two states is on the brink of famine. Washington said it may move unilaterally to push aid through if no action is taken and without Khartoum’s approval.

Sudan refused to allow aid groups to operate in these areas but later softened its stance saying it will allow foreign relief groups to resume work under very strict conditions including the requirement that distribution of aid be carried out by Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) and the Sudanese Red Crescent.

The fighting in recent months has forced about 417,000 people to flee their homes, more than 80,000 of them to South Sudan, according to the UN.

The UNSC also urged the two sides to agree to a ceasefire and engage in talks for a political settlement.

“The members of the Security Council called on the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North to return to talks to address the issues that have fuelled the current conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, and to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities”.

“They reiterated their support for the efforts of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel, the Government of Ethiopia and the United Nations in this regard. The members of the Security Council underscored the need for the two sides urgently to address security arrangements on the basis of the agreed principles of the framework agreement of 28 June, including relevant disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of armed elements of SPLM-N, and that any disarmament shall be done in accordance with agreed upon plans and without resorting to force”.

The 28 June agreement referred to in the UNSC statement was brokered by the African Union High Level implementation Panel (AUHIP) and signed by Khartoum and SPLM-N that would have paved the way for a ceasefire in South Kordofan.

However, Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir later scrapped it and faulted his aides for signing it.

(ST)