Ma’aliya officials return to their posts in East Darfur state

Two ministers and four commissioners of the Ma’aliya tribe have been sworn in in Ed Daein, capital of East Darfur state today. After boycotting the East Darfur state government for three months, six Ma’aliya officials returned to their posts: Ali El Sayed Osman Gasem, state Minister of Social Affairs, Asem Mohamed Osman Bukhari, state minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Hasan Mahmoud Ibrahim, and Hussein El Sadeg Gamareldin, commissioners of Presidential Affairs at the state, Mohamed Mahmoud Mohamed El Sharif, Commissioner of Adila locality, and Mohamed Ahmed Jad El Sayed, commissioner of Abu Karinka locality, took the oath this (Tuesday) morning. The commissioner of Abu Karinka locality told Radio Dabanga that their responsibility for the inhabitants of East Darfur state urged them to cooperate again with the state government. “If we would not return, the wounds would grow deeper.”In September, a large number of Ma’aliya state government officials and employees submitted their resignation, in protest against the continuous attacks by Rizeigat militants. They accused the East Darfur state authorities and the federal government of doing nothing to stop the violence. Fierce clashes that erupted between the Ma’aliya and Rizeigat on 20 August, in which hundreds of tribesmen were killed and injured, were the turning point.  ImpetusCol. Ahmed El Tayeb Abdelkarim, Governor of East Darfur state, welcomed the return of the Ma’aliya officials at the ceremony this morning.“Their return constitutes a major impetus to the establishment of peace between the communities in the state. The constitutional vacuum experienced by the state government in the past months has negatively impacted on the stability and development in East Darfur.” The governor stated that the state authorities have laid out strict measures in order to prevent any future clashes. He pointed to the importance of “repairing the social fabric in the state”, and announced that preparations for a reconciliation conference, to be convened in Merowe, in northern Sudan, are in progress. File photo: Ma’aliya demonstrating in Adila, 31 August 2014 (Radio Dabanga correspondent) Related: Ma’aliya to boycott East Darfur state (22 September 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) Tribal conflicts hamper East Darfur State govt. formation (14 August 2014)