Unamid grant of vehicles to Darfur Ministry criticised

The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (Unamid) has handed-over five vehicles to the legal departments of the Ministry of Justice in West Darfur.

In a statement on Tuesday, Unamid said that the delivery of vehicles comes as part of the ongoing effort to strengthen the rule of law institutions in the region.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, activists and human rights defenders criticised Unamid’s move as “a leap in the dark”.

They questioned the existence of any rule of law in the town of El Geneina, where they say “the security forces are still killing in cold blood in the presence of Unamid, which now adds five vehicles to the fleet of Land Cruisers that distribute free death with milk cups to schoolchildren”.

Unamid

The peacekeeping Unamid, mandated by the UN Security Council by its resolution 2429 (2018) is scheduled to withdraw from South Darfur this June. The mission plans to exit Darfur entirely by June 2020.

After handing over team sites and headquarters to the Sudanese authorities in the past months, the mission’s new headquarters in Zalingei are now fully operational. The office of the Joint Special Representative Jeremiah Mamabolo has relocated to Khartoum.

Mamabolo pointed out in December that the region has seen improved security but still witnesses fresh waves of displacement. “With a significant emphasis in Jebel Mara where intermittent hostilities between non-state armed groups and regular forces continue to directly affect civilians in the area.”

In January, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reported that the recent security situation in Darfur was “relatively stable”.

Food gap in South Darfur

Independent MP Mohamed Tahir Aseel revealed that there is a food gap in Ed El Fursan locality in South Darfur, due to the damage of sorghum and millet crops by Zarzur birds.

He raised a request to call the Agriculture Minister and the Plant Protection Director for questioning on the food gap.

He appealed to the central government to immediately intervene and address the situation.

He pointed out that Zarzur birds multiply in the forests in huge numbers, which posed a threat to agriculture in Ed El Fursan and other localities such as Kass and Rahad El Berdi.