Sit-in against ongoing abductions in South Darfur capital

Relatives of an abducted merchant in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, have set up a large tent in the city in an attempt to draw attention from the authorities, to act against the rising number of abductions.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, a relative of El Sadig Hamdoun said that lawyers, activists and residents of Nyala are welcome to gather in the tent and discuss ways to tackle the phenomenon of abductions in Nyala.

Hamdoun was abducted by armed men last Tuesday while he was walking home in the Congo neighbourhood. This is the fourth kidnapping in Nyala during the last weeks. Security authorities have not managed to arrest any of the culprits.

“This is our attempt to make the authorities investigate the phenomenon, find El Sadig, and catch the perpetrators,” the relative told Radio Dabanga. They have not received a phone call from the abductors. “But we fear that if we will pay them for El Sadig's release, we encourage them to kidnap more people in Nyala.”

The state government has announced a series of measures against the insecurity in Nyala over time, and decided to establish checkpoints in the city so as to easily close the gates in the event an incident takes place.

But no such thing has happened, the people in Nyala affirmed. “There are still vehicles driving around without license plates, and no perpetrators of the abductions have been caught.”

Yesterday listeners in Nyala reported to this station that there are growing concerns about the presence of vehicles without license plates in the city, as some are used by members of criminal groups that roam the streets, committing thefts and abductions.

There are thousands of unregistered vehicles in Darfur. North and South Darfur have started campaigns to confiscate or register all unlicensed vehicles in an attempt to decrease the number of illegal vehicles – often used by outlaws and criminals.

On 24 November, gunmen kidnapped and robbed four staff members of the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (Unamid) in Nyala. But the victims were released a few hours later.

This is an update of a story earlier today