Eastern Sudan district ‘levelled’ by bulldozers

Authorities in Kassala in eastern Sudan demolished a residential area over the weekend. “Residents had no opportunity to take their belongings from the houses.” A number of people were arrested by members of the security apparatus.

Dozens of vehicles of the Sudanese army and riot police, totalling “70 vehicles” according to witnesses, entered El Salem district of Kassala from the direction of El Khatmiya.

“They fired heavily-modified tear gas on the buildings and set fire to the houses, including property, before the bulldozers started to destroy the houses, said Ali Idris Osman, the member of the State Legislative Council representing the Eastern Front.

Osman told Radio Dabanga that the district has been completely levelled.

Photos below: Riot police in El Salam district last weekend used tear gas to disperse demonstrators (RD)

“Three people were arrested by the security service, which denied that they were arrested. Four others were detained at the police station in Kassala on charges of harassment. They were released on bail on Sunday evening,” explained Osman.

The state government warned residents of El Salam about the removal with a statement that was broadcast by Kassala TV on Thursday. The statement explained that the people have resided here illegally. Meanwhile the owners of the plots claim to have official papers that prove the ownership of the land for the last 30 years.

Osman reported that residents did not have an opportunity to take out their property from their houses before they were destroyed. The population of the area is estimated to be around 30,000, and the majority of the residents belong to the Beja tribe, Osman said.

Land ownership

Last year, a court ordered the authorities in Kassala to stop the demolition until the ownership issue of the land was settled. The governor of Kassala, Adam Jama has been accused of selling large tracts of lands in Kassala state and town. Press reports have indicated that he distributed some of the lands to family members and relatives.

Kassala state started operations to remove El Salam district in February 2016. Dozens of protesters, including surprised residents, barred bulldozers and were arrested by police. In May this year, Sudanese government plans to demolish the El Nur district in Kassala town were “postponed for an unspecified time” after mediators intervened.