North Darfur water committee beating ‘a misunderstanding’: Commissioner

The Commissioner of Tawila locality in North Darfur has acknowledged an incident when a water delegation of four people, including a policeman and a member of the Popular Defence Forces were severely beaten and tortured by military personnel in the military garrison at Tabit on Tuesday.

Commissioner Adam Yagoub Jadeed told Radio Dabanga that the incident “stemmed from misunderstanding”, and that “The situation has now been contained.

He said the solution was to set one day of the week for the military so that the residents would get water during the rest of the week.

He attributed Tabit water crisis to the lack of water sources and the stalling of water engines.

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that residents of the area protested as the military garrison monopolises the only water engine in the area; civilians were prevented from drawing drinking water for most of the week which caused thirst to them and their livestock.

They pointed out that on Tuesday the area water committee asked the army to allow the residents to draw water and to organise it, but the soldiers saw this as interference in their affairs. They allegedly assaulted and beat four members of the water committee and took them to the military garrison.