Appeal for calm as tribesmen die in South Darfur clash

Three members of a team tracking bandits were killed, and several wounded on Monday during a clash in Buram locality in South Darfur. The incident occurred after bandits of the Fellata tribe from Tullus locality allegedly stole cows from the Annadif area. When a local Salamat rescue team tracked-down the culprits, the bandits opened fire on them killing three members of the team. The incident led to tension in the vicinity so citizens of Tullus and neighbouring areas could not go to the weekly market in Buram. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the incident led to the mobilization of the people from both sides, and efforts are being made in the area to prevent the outbreak of tribal conflict.’Calm’The deputy Nazir of the Fellata tribe, Yusif El Samani, has confirmed that the relationship between the Fellata and Salamat tribes has “calmed down”, and the situation has returned to normal again in the area. Some bandits of the Fellata killed a three members of a Salamat rescue team coming from the area of Annadif tracking down cattle thieves. At the area of Saygoun, Tullus locality, a clash between the rescue team and the thieves took place in which others were injured. Deputy Nazir of the Fellata, Yusif El Samani, told Radio Dabanga that the area has become calm again and that the members of the two tribes visited the market Rajaj without problems, and let their cattle drink together in Saygoun. El Samani appealed via Radio Dabanga to all Salamat and Fellata for restraint and voice of reason. He emphasised the historical links and neighbours and the ties of kinship that binds the two tribes stronger than that shaken by such an individual incident. He demanded both parties not to incriminate tribes for the deeds of individuals, especially when those individuals are bandits. He demanded all not to allow the flaring up of war in the region. He appealed to members of both tribes to stop the bloodshed between both tribes and all the tribes in Darfur. Voice of reasonEmad Bishri, independent MP of Tullus locality, called on the parties to listen to the voice of reason and sit down to solve the problems. Bishri said that the language of arms is no longer the best way to resolve the problems. He appealed to the commissioners to work to maintain order and provide security for citizens. He called on the government to enforce the prestige of the state and the law, and to deal with banditry issues which often lead to tribal clashes. He demanded “the civil administration representatives and all members of the community to do all that can be done to maintain the peace and social security in Darfur”. In El Fasher, the Chairman of the Darfur Regional Authority, Dr Tijani Sese accused “some directions” which he did not identify, as being “unwilling to re-sew the social fabric of Darfur, because it is contrary to their interests. Their presence is linked to tribal conflicts.” In his introductory address at the Workshop of Social Peace in El Fasher, North Darfur, Sese said that the past year has seen an increase in tribal conflicts in Darfur, but the conflicts that developed during the last few weeks are “strange”. Sese: “Most of Darfur has become mired in conflicts and no one from outside the region can put an end to them, because they are purely Darfuri conflicts. If we want to stop these purely Darfuri conflicts, we have to stop them ourselves. We are all partners in them.” He called on all the people of Darfur represented in political and civil forces “to make a major leap for unification, to face all the challenges and overcome the problems dogging Darfur”. File photo: Cattle in Darfur( Albert González Farran / Unamid)Related: DRA workshop disappoints West Darfur displaced (28 January 2014)