Sudanese govt. responsible for tribal violence: Darfur Bar

The Darfur Bar Association (DBA) holds the Sudanese government responsible for the recent outbreak of tribal fighting in North and South Darfur.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Bar blamed the government of “neglecting its responsibility to protect its citizens”, and urged the authorities to cease the distribution of arms, and stop encouraging tribes to compete for political power and resources.

According to the lawyers, the armed conflicts between the Darfuri tribes are “a result of the Khartoum regime's encouragement and politicisation of the tribal system”. 

“By arming certain tribesmen, distributing military uniforms and four-wheel drive vehicles among them, and letting them assault, rob, and terrorise innocent civilians with impunity, the regime affirms that it has withdrawn its responsibility, and pushes the people to take up arms themselves in response.”

The Darfur lawyers also urged the warring tribes to “stop wasting lives and destroying homes”, calling on the Ziyadiya and Berti in North Darfur, and Fellata, Salamat, Rizeigat, and Habaniya tribesmen in South Darfur, “to resort to the voice of reason, identify the causes of the conflicts, and resolve them through peaceful means”.

Pointing to the blockade of roads, which led to the closure of markets and shops in North Darfur’s Mellit locality, the DBA called on “all parties to re-open the roads, and allow the people access to water and food sources”.