East Darfur NCP members to boycott general conference

In East Darfur, members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in the localities of Adila and Abu Karinka will boycott the party’s general conference, scheduled to commence on 23 October, if their demands concerning the status and management of the state are not met. Mohamed Adam, one of the NCP leaders in Adila locality, told Radio Dabanga that they will shun the party’s general conference “not because of differences with the NCP, but because we are opposed to the way East Darfur state is managed, and the Sudanese government’s disregard of our cause”.The decision on the boycott was made after gunmen assaulted and severely beat East Darfur NCP leader and Presidential Affairs Commissioner Abdallah Yagoub in Abu Karinka locality last week. Demands “We will only take part in the NCP general conference, if East Darfur state is granted a special status with an administration mechanism similar to that of Abyei, if Abu Karinka and Adila locality are placed under jurisdiction of North Darfur state, or when a clearly defined new state is created,” the Abu Karinka party members told an NCP delegation from Khartoum, that visited Abu Karinka on Thursday to discuss the party’s general conference. Rizeigat, Ma’aliya fighting In August this year, Ma’aliya tribesmen in East Darfur went to the streets in protest against the lack of protection by the authorities, after Rizeigat had attacked Ma’aliya villages in Abu Karinka locality. Hundreds of people were killed. A Ma’aliya member of the Sudanese parliament requested an investigation into the alleged participation of Rizeigat government forces in the attacks. On 1 September, a number of Ma’aliya leaders submitted their resignation from the East Darfur State government, and withdrew their NCP membership. They demanded the abolition of East Darfur state, and the incorporation of the areas inhabited by Ma’aliya in North Darfur state. Later that month, Ma’aliya ministers, commissioners, and advisors at East Darfur state, and 12 members of the state’s parliament resigned, saying that “nothing has been done to deal with the continuous Rizeigat attacks on Ma’aliya villagers” in East Darfur. Abu Karinka and Adila localities are strongholds of the Ma’aliya tribe, while the area of Ed Daein, the capital of East Darfur state, is home to the Rizeigat. Since long, the tribes are at war. In August last year, the Ma’aliya already accused the Sudanese authorities of neglecting their case, and letting the Rizeigat continue with their “ethnic cleansing” of the area. File photo: Tribal leaders attend a congress  in el Fasher, capital of North Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related: Demonstrators call for abolition of East Darfur State (31 August 2014) East Darfur officials hold Sudan govt. responsible for tribal fighting (25 August 2014) Forces deployed in East Darfur to curb new tribal clashes (21 August 2014) ‘Hundreds’ die in Ma’aliya, Rizeigat fighting in East Darfur (20 August 2014)’Ethnic cleansing’ accusations as East Darfur death toll rises (12 August 2013)