North Darfur farmers demand protection from herdsmen

In Darfur, dozens of displaced farmers from Zamzam camp demonstrated in front of North Darfur state government buildings in the capital of El Fasher on Wednesday to protest against being prevented from cultivating their land.

The demonstrators delivered a memorandum to the governor of the state, including a package of demands, chiefly to disarm local militias, achieve justice, and demanding that a force be sent to protect farmers. They also demand that land in the areas of Abu Deleik, Abu El Beida, Sag El Naam, and Shawa, be returned to the farmers.

One of the demonstrators told Radio Dabanga that the governor, Maj Gen Malik Khojali, addressed the protesters, vowing to solve the problem within 24 hours.

The governor announced the dispatch of a native administration delegation, headed by Abbas Dawelbeit, to bring omdas and sheikhs of Abu Deleik area to solve the problem.

The farmers of Zamzam camp went to the area of Abu Deleik to cultivate their land more than three weeks ago, but militiamen in Kalemindo locality expelled them from the area.

In Murnei locality in West Darfur, farmers complained about attacks by herdsmen who drive their camels and cattle onto farms by force.

They said that four farmers were injured during recent attacks in the area, and were transferred to hospitals for treatment: Adam Dengu, Rashid Juma, Ibrahim Abdallah, and Ismail Ibrahim.

Farmers demanded that the authorities protect pastoralist against buses so that they can harvest their crops.

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