Protests as state officials sworn-in in East Darfur

Residents of Adila locality in East Darfur protested the appointment of a number of new state officials on Thursday. In a memorandum to the Sudanese Presidency, they demanded their dismissal.

Hundreds of Ma’aliya in Adila locality took to the streets on Thursday to demonstrate against the arrival of new Ministers, parliamentarians, and commissioners, who had been sworn-in in East Darfur capital Ed Daein earlier that day.

The protesters blocked state government institutions, rejecting the federal government’s decision to appoint the officials before addressing the violent conflicts between the Ma'aliya and Rizeigat in the state.

They submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Presidency, to the commander of the military garrison, and the heads of the East Darfur security apparatus and police on Thursday.

In the memorandum, the residents of Adila locality affirm their “support to the efforts exerted by the Sudanese president of the Republic to achieve security, peace, stability and development”. Yet, they stated that they “strongly reject” the appointment of the new officials, and demanded the “immediate dismissal” of Osman Gasim, Minister of Social Welfare, Asim Barakat, Minister of Agriculture, Mohamed Mahmoud El Sharif, Commissioner of Adila, Mohamed Ahmed Jadelseed, Commissioner of Abu Karinka, and Hamdan Osman and Omar Musa Omar, newly appointed East Darfur MPs.

Resignations

In September last year, a number of Ma’aliya ministers, commissioners, advisors, and 12 members of the East Darfur parliament submitted their resignation and withdrew their membership from the ruling National Congress Party, in protest against the silence of the authorities about the continuous attacks by Rizeigat militants on Ma’aliya villagers in Abu Karinka locality.

The months before, various clashes between the two tribes erupted in the area. On 19 August, fierce fighting broke out after Rizeigat militants had attacked several Ma’aliya villages in the area. Hundreds of people were killed. In response, Ma’aliya in East Darfur took to the streets in protest against the lack of protection by the authorities. They called for the abolition of the state, and demanded the incorporation of the East Darfur areas inhabited by Ma’aliya into North Darfur.

Mohamed Abdin, member of the East Darfur parliament, told Dabanga at the time that the MPs hold the Sudanese government responsible for the absence of the rule of law in the state. He said that the East Darfur Legislative Council had been criticising the delay in forming a new state government “for more than a year. This vacuum is one of the main factors stoking tribal conflicts in the state.”

For this very reason, a number of Ma’aliya officials, who resigned in September, decided to return to their positions.