Gimir calls foul following ‘tribal attacks’ in South Darfur

A spokesman for the Gimir tribe has accused official bodies and state authorities of being the agents provocateurs behind renewed deadly clashes in South Darfur. Beni Halba tribesmen are said to have carried out attacks against the Gimir on Wednesday, breaking a fragile ceasefire agreement – the fourth within a short period.The tribes signed the latest ceasefire agreement at the beginning of May suspending hostilities that flared-up in February over land disputes. Sources say that as motivation for this new attack the Beni Halba accuse the Gimir tribe of “not respecting the peace treaty”.Gimir spokesman Abakar Al Tom told Radio Dabanga on Thursday that the attack targeted the Gimir and that it was “foul play”. “The government troops withdrew from Katila 15 minutes before the Beni Halba returned, which paved the way for the attack”.Beni Halba gunmen entered Katila in 30 Land Cruisers, supported by government troops, Central Reserve Forces (Abu Tira) and border guards, the spokesman asserted.Al Tom stressed his tribe follows the rule of law in line with the Sudanese Constitution. He added the Gimr will submit a memo to the Special Prosecutor for Crimes in Darfur concerning renewed clashes.“Hopefully the Sudanese and international law will take care of the situation,” he said.“Back to normal”Al Tom, however, denied that “thousands of people” were displaced as a result of Wednesday’s clashes in Katila. He said that about 300 families left the town to Tullus, but that “they are now on their way back”.Speaking to Radio Dabanga from Edd Al Fursan, a Beni Halba Fathi (leader) appealed to the warring parties to “listen to the voice of reason and come to the negotiation table in all sincerity and honesty”. He also appealed for them to sign an agreement that is satisfactory to all parties and avoid bloodshed.A Gimir Fathi made similar appeals to the belligerents and asked that they keep the doors to the negotiation table open. He invited the Beni Halba to visit the Gimir “as the two tribes have had ties for decades”.“We must ask ourselves all why we fight, for what and in whose interest. The fighting is useless and not real. We must go back to the voice of reason. Children, elders and innocent people are suffering because of what is going on between the two tribes”, the Gimir Fathi said, adding “we must not follow the lead of the fools of our tribes”.File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid Related: Renewed Gimir-Beni Halba clashes in South Darfur, eight dead (22 May 2013)