Darfur gold concession winner warned-off by Hilal

The Sudanese Federal Ministry of Minerals has awarded the concession for exploration for gold deposits in Jebel ‘Amer in North Darfur to the MAM Group, a major Sudanese industrial group with subsidiaries in various areas of contracting and construction. However, militia commander Musa Hilal, who last month established his ‘own administration’ in North Darfur, has warned that “the current situation does not allow exploration in that region”. The company was formed during 1995, according to its own website, in the wake of Sudan’s “reforming economic policy in order to develop and integrate the local economic system with the international economy”. The MAM Group, originally called “Mohamed Ismail works”, is named after its founder, chairman, and general manager, Mohamed Ismail El Muta’afi, who is the brother of Abdel Halim El Muta’afi, the one-time Governor of Khartoum State and former federal Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. The agreement was signed by Minister Ahmed Mohamed Sadig El Karurirom on behalf of the Ministry of Minerals. Following the signing, Mohamed Ismail El Muta’afi announced that his Group “won the concession for mining gold at square 15 in Jebel ‘Amer”. WarningHowever, in remarks quoted in El Taghyeer newspaper on Tuesday, militia commander Musa Hilal warned the company against “taking any action without the consent of the political and social authorities of El Sareif Beni Hussein, Saraf Umra, and El Waha localities”, pointing out that “the current situation does not allow exploration in that region”. Last month, Hilal established a committee of 100 people, compiled from various tribes in Saraf Umra locality, North Darfur. The committee will choose the commissioner and executive directors in the locality, which is controlled by Hilal’s Janjaweed militias. According to the self-pronounced administration, the committee has at least five people from each tribe. Regarding his possible return to Khartoum as a consultant in the Bureau of Decentralised Governance with the rank of a Minister, Hilal said there are conditions to be fulfilled including a number of points which he preferred not to disclose. “They know them and I will not come back until they are fulfilled.” Tribal contention As reported extensively by Radio Dabanga, in 2013, the Abbala and Beni Hussein tribes fought violently over control of the Jebel ‘Amer gold mine, leaving about 500 people dead. The UN estimated that more than 100,000 were displaced. The violence ended with a treaty signed following a reconciliation conference between the omdas from the tribes and a tribal mediation committee in El Fasher, at the end of July. One of the terms of the treaty is that control of the Jebel ‘Amer gold mining area will pass to the government. File photo: Gold prospectors as Jebel ‘Amer (Radio Dabanga) Related:Musa Hilal ‘establishes administration’ in North Darfur (19 March 2014) ‘Gold tax to recompense 839 Abbala-Beni Hussein dead’: North Darfur Minister (22 August 2013) Report: North Darfur gold mine conflicts not inter-tribal; Sudan regime behind them (14 May 2013)