North Darfur market strike lifted after promise of security force

The traders and merchants of the market in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, announced the lift of their strike on Thursday. They reached an agreement with the local security committee for the protection of the market shops against repeated burglaries, after three days of striking.

The executive director of El Fasher locality, Abdelmoneim Omer Ahmed, explained that the locality has taken a package of security arrangements to secure the stores in the Grand Market. A joint force will provide comprehensive security and deal with thefts. Omer Ahmed reassured the merchants that the locality will secure the market perfectly.

One of the merchants told Radio Dabanga that the security committee told them it had no information about the thefts that took place in the market during night time. “The Chamber of Commerce has begun moving among the merchants and shop owners to legalise payments, which will be paid to the new joint force. This will work on shifts to protect the Grand Market.”

He said that the lifting of the strike, which meant a shutdown of nearly all shops and stalls, came in order to give the security committee an opportunity to find serious solutions. He warned that the merchants will strike for a longer period in the event that the thefts continue in El Fasher.

Abdallah Abakar Abdullah, the head of the Chamber of Commerce of El Fasher, has already expressed his stance with the merchants, until the locality’s markets are secured. He said that the locality’s administration had promised to resolve the problem, and called upon the merchants to continue their normal business.