Gunmen establish ‘administration system’ in South Darfur

Formerly displaced people in Abu Ajura in El Salam locality in South Darfur are suffering from “an administrative system” set up by a group of gunmen in the area.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, Hussein Abusharati, Spokesman for the Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association, reported that a militant gunman named Aheimer, together with 27 men from the Shatta created a kind of administrative rule in the area of Abu Ajura by force of arms.

“Apart from pushing aside Omda Mohamed Yagoub, the official native administrative leader in the area, they established a kind of court. This court imposes sentences such as lashes and fines on the displaced people who were forced to return to their lands because of hunger in the camps,” he said.

“The fees for planting a piece of land amount to SDG 700 ($ 39*). When the people want to cut trees to cultivate land, they have to pay SDG 1,500 per tree to Aheimer and his group.”

Abusharati criticised the Sudanese government for leaving weapons in the hands of militias. “Khartoum announced this large disarmament campaign, but left the implementation to militant groups. They now carry out threats, plunder homes, and violate the rights of others with the knowledge of the authorities – who do not interfere.”

He added that a policeman was shot dead and another seriously injured in Bulbul Dalal El Angara, 56 km southwest of Nyala on Saturday. They were attempting to arrest militiamen who had plundered a village in the area.

* Based on the official US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CboS)