‘UN requests role in conflict resolution Central Darfur’: Governor

A United Nations delegation requested to be engaged in Central Darfur's peace and reconciliation mechanism in order to address the root causes of tribal conflicts and the protection of agriculture in the state.

In return the Central Darfur Governor, Jaafar Abdelhakam Ishag, called on the delegation from the UN, Unamid and UN aid agencies to ensure their eagerness to cooperate by providing certain guarantees. Speaking to the press this week, Ishag did not elaborate on these guarantees.

The government had to face the resolving of tribal conflicts, and its costs, alone, without interference or support by the UN, Ishag said. He pointed out the fact that this stipulated in the mandate of the hybrid peacekeeping mission.

“My government does not mind the mission engaging in the peace and reconciliation mechanism,” Ishag said, “as long as Unamid will provide the state written guarantees that describe the amount and form of the estimated support which it can contribute to the removal of the causes of conflicts and protection of the agricultural season.”

The state government has already proposed several plans to Unamid in this context, according to the Governor.

Tribesmen attacked people in the market of Um Dukhun in July, and tribesmen of the Misseriya and Salamat clashed in the market of the town last April, resulting in the death of two tribe members.