South Darfur authorities sell 35 Nyala market plots

A police force surrounded the Grand Market in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, on Wednesday, to prevent market traders to protest against the handing of 35 shops to their new owners.

The force, led by South Darfur Governor Maj. Gen. Adam Mahmoud Jarelnabi, who is also head of the state’s Security Committee, had evacuated the market traders by force on Tuesday.

“On Wednesday, they denied us access to the market until 11am,” one of the traders reported to Radio Dabanga. “Hundreds of traders gathered near the market, condemning the selling of the new market outlets to others. The police used tear gas to disperse us, and to allow the authorities to deliver the shops to the buyers.”  

He explained that the market was well planned by the state Ministry of Urban Planning. “Yet, the governor and the commissioner of Nyala locality disregarded the Ministry’s scheme, and sold plots for 35 news shops to several residents of Nyala.”