South Darfur tribes sign reconciliation document

The Fallata and Rizeigat tribes signed a reconciliation document yesterday at the end of a reconciliation conference in Nyala, capital of South Darfur.

The document stipulates payment of blood money and establishment of security in the region.

The Rizeigat will pay diya (blood money) to the Fallata for the death of 59 victims. The amount is SDG17,700 ($322)*. In return the Fallata will pay diya, amounting to SDG6,300 ($115) for seven victims.

This follows the establishment of a truce, signed in May, under which the warring parties agreed to deal with violent incidents by customary courts.

Reconciliation document

The reconciliation document was signed by two leading tribesmen and approved by the head of the Ajaweed [tribal arbitration council of elders] and the South Darfur governor.

According to the agreement, an urgent conference for the native administration in South Darfur should be convened to discuss organs of the state, to seek scientific and academic assistance in creating a culture of peace, and in general increasing opportunity and capability in South Darfur.

It stipulates that regular forces** must monitor the outcomes of the conference and support a culture of peace. Also, the South Darfur security committee should impose deterrent penalties on violators of the peace document, tracks must be to reduce friction between farmers and herders, and legislation must to enable native administration leaders to control their tribesmen, according to the document.

The two parties agreed to set up courts for nomads, pave roads, provide water resources, veterinary and human clinics, and nomadic schools, establish a state commission to follow up on nomadic cases, and provide areas with communication networks.

The two parties also appealed to the negotiating parties in Juba to sign a comprehensive peace accord as soon as possible.

New  governor

In this context and that of recent violent incidents in the state, the governor of South Darfur, Mousa Mahdi, pledged to work hard to address security in full coordination with the security services.

The new governor held a press conference in Nyala after he assumed his duties yesterday.

He said “the security committee in the state will register a permanent presence in Kass, which witnessed bloody events, until necessary measures are put in place to secure the village”.

Mahdi promised to work with native administors, the Forces for Freedom and Change, and the armed forces to stop the bloodshed, restore security, and ensure continuation of the peace process.

Investigation announced

Yesterday, the Darfur Bar Association (DBA) announced the formation of a committee to investigate events in Kass locality which took place on Sunday morning.

According to the DBA, the unfortunate events were a result of the failure of the Kass police chief and the Public Prosecution to prevent the release of a militant leader nicknamed Dukhan. He has previously been arrested for several crimes.

The DBA noted in its press statement that “information circulating in Kass indicates that Kass Prosecutor and the director of the police department have previously released those arrested for similar charges.”

* USD 1 = SDG 55.1375 at the time of publishing this article. As effective foreign exchange rates can vary in Sudan, Radio Dabanga bases all SDG currency conversions on the daily middle US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS).

** Officially, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, set up by the ousted Al Bashir regime in 2013, was integrated into the Sudan Armed Forces in August last year, however, the militia remains a force unto itself, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’, who also is Deputy President of Sudan’s Sovereign Council.

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