Gereida residents worried about governor’s remarks

On a visit to Gereida on Thursday, South Darfur governor Hamad Ismail Hamad addressed the army, describing the rebel movements that entered the area earlier this month as ‘enemies of Sudan’. The governor said any person thought to be supporting or involved with the movements will be also be considered an enemy of the country. He said ‘security in Gereida has now returned to normal after the movements were defeated, and the government reinforced security in the area.’ Residents and displaced people in Gereida are worried about the governor’s remarks, seeing them as an invitation for authorities to arrest, detain and kill anyone they deem a security threat, acting outside of the law. They appealed to human rights organisations to protect civilians in Gereida likely to be subject to extrajudicial acitvity. Yesterday a displaced man was severely beaten by pro government militia when he went out fo the camp to collect hay and firewood. Witnesses said the militia beat the man and stole his donkey before fleeing into the unknown.