Rizeigat welcome ‘general amnesty’ in East Darfur

Mohamed Mousa Aliyu, member the Rizeigat Shura Council has welcomed the general pardon announced by the Governor of East Darfur on Friday.

At a ceremony of the ruling National Congress Party in El Firdous locality, Governor Anas Omar Fadlelmoula spoke about the need to stabilise the security situation and the importance of opening a new chapter to achieve development in East Darfur. He therefore declared amnesty for “the outlaws and those wanted by the judicial authorities for committing crimes in the state”.

The Rizeigat leader described the decision of the governor as a positive decision for the establishment of security. “Though the perpetrators might probably not be deterred. They may see the decision as a sign of weakness from the authorities,” he told Radio Dabanga in an interview on Sunday. “Therefore the East Darfur state should use its power as a guarantee for security and stability.”

He appealed via Radio Dabanga to “those who have committed crimes to repent, and support the restoration of the security situation in East Darfur”.

'Unfortunate'

Azrag Hasan Humeida, head of the Adila, Abu Karinka, and Kileikil Abu Salama Youth Association however described the East Darfur governor's decision as “unfortunate, as it evades the law, and constitutes a violation of justice”.

He said to Radio Dabanga on Sunday that an amnesty usually comes after the perpetrators have been brought to trial and found guilty. “Instead, the governor should have admitted his failure to arrest the perpetrators. Any amnesty concerning serious criminals such as murderers or armed robbers, gives the message that there is neither law nor a state.

“This decision is similar to the argument of the East Darfur Minister of Justice who said before that he could not arrest the culprits who attacked Abu Karinka because of the lack of prisons in the state capital Ed Daein,” he added.