South Darfur Students Association condemn attacks by herders

The Gireida Students Association has condemned the repeated attacks by armed herdsmen on farmers in South Darfur. A student told Radio Dabanga that during the past few weeks at least 20 farmers were killed or wounded by “government-backed herders”. The most recent incident was the beating of Suleiman Shumein and his wife Halima Dawoud, Babakar Mohamed Hassan, Abdelgadir Mohamed Hassan, Siddig Ishag Yagoub and Hassania Yahya. The student added that whoever lodges a complaint about the security and humanitarian situation in the locality is arrested or beaten by the security forces. The Student Association has demanded from the local and state authorities to provide security for the citizens and farmers, especially during the harvest season. The Students Association also reported that “especially the displaced citizens of the region are facing tragic health and education situations”. A family receives only a plate and a half of grain, instead of three plates before, per month. The health care situation is dire due to the complete lack of medicines and medical staff. Critical cases have to be transferred to the hospital of Nyala, 80km away from Gireida. Gireida locality suffers also from a shortage of teachers, books, brochures and school seating furniture in primary and secondary schools. File photo: OCHA Related: Food rations cut in South Darfur’s Kalma camp (4 November 2013)