Strike in Central Darfur after veterinarian beaten, humiliated

Veterinarians in Central Darfur called a strike on Thursday, in protest against the harassment, beating, and humiliation of a colleague by security agents.

The strike was sparked by reports that the head of the Golo Veterinary Unit in Jebel Marra, Ahmed Yousef, was beaten and had his head shaved by agents of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) after he refused to allow the sale of unauthorised meat to one of the butchers in the market.

The veterinarians are responsible for overseeing the slaughter of animals for human consumption, and only approved meat may be sold.

The head of the Central Darfur Ministry of Production and Livestock, Nasir Doud, threatened to suspend all slaughtering in all markets of the state unless the NISS apologises.