Sudan: Urgent call to the Transitional Government to ensure the safety and protection of all Sudanese

(6 August 2020) African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) expresses deep concern over the deterioration of security in Sudan, specifically in the Dafur region where several militia attacks and tribal clashes have left hundreds dead and several injured. ACJPS has documented another incident of tribal clash in West Darfur that has left sixty one people dead and fifty two injured, including five minors. The Transitional Government should urgently set up an independent and impartial commission to ensure an immediate and effective investigation into the full scale of the killing and injury, identify those responsible, and hold them accountable. The government should also consider including Independent civil society organisations in the commission of inquiry.

ACJPS further calls on the Transitional government to;-

• Urgently develop a plan to address the past and recent conflicts, attacks and tribal clashes in the Darfur region especially the human rights violations.
• Come up with a mechanism to resolve land conflicts in the Darfur region
• Reform the police and deploy them to maintain peace.
• Disarm all militias and civilians

To the Forces of Freedom and Change Alliance,

• Ensure equal representation and participation of all Sudanese in the alliance.

 

On 25 July 2020, about 1,500 armed men from the Maharia (Arab) and Mima tribes dressed in plain clothes as wells in uniforms of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked Masteri town. Masteri town has a population of approximately 100,000 people majority of whom are the Masalite (African) tribe.  The men rode in Land Cruiser Toyota vehicles in light green colors, motorcycles, camels and Horse backs while some of them marched. They were armed with at least four types weapons including tanks fixed on top of the land cruisers known as “Duska” tanks, automatic guns (sub-machine guns ) ,  “ kalashnikov” in addition to  J3. ACJPS believes the attack to be a tribal clash as both the attackers and the victims are residents of same locality. The Maharia live in Beida village whilst the Mima tribe live in Frashna neighborhood, both  villages fall under the administrative  jurisdictions of Beida  located  in South West of Elgenina, the capital of West Darfur, about  47 Kilometers away. Masteri town also falls under Beida.

The attack was lunched at about 07:00AM after the attackers surrounded Masteri   neighborhood from three directions and fired gunshots indiscriminately at people. A reliable source has informed ACJPS that within the attackers were some snipers, the reason many of the victims were shot in the upper part of the bodies mainly the head and chest. The attack lasted nine hours only to end at about 04:00 PM.

At least 61 people (10 female and 51 male) were killed whilst 52 people (12 female and 40 male) including 5 minors (3 boys and 2 girls) were injured.  14 people have been evacuated to Khartoum for medical treatment through Sebier Airport located in Elgenina using the Military aircraft.  Reliable information indicates that about 1,500 houses have burned and personal belongings such as money, chattels, phones and electronics were looted. ACJPS has been reliably informed that the attack was led by Mr.Eissa Abu Bakar, the deputy of the Amir of Maharia tribe.

The attackers also targeted Mestrie police post killing 6 Policemen and injuring 4, their names are with ACJPS. ACJPS has been reliably informed that the reason the police were targeted was because most of them are from the Masalite tribe, and also because earlier on  17 July 2020, people from the Mima tribe reported the killing of three of their tribesmen at the police station and when they followed up the case on 18 July 2020, the police told them that the perpetrators could not be arrested because they had crossed the border into Chad. Reliable information further indicates that the attack against the masalite tribe was to avenge the death of four Mima women believed to have been killed in Beida by a group of Masalite tribesmen. The case was also reported to the police but the Mima believe that the Police are biased since most of them come from the Masalite tribe.

West Darfur is one of the areas that has witnessed conflicts over land ownership following the wide displacement people as a result of the war that started in 2003. Recently in December 2019, one of Masalite religious leaders, the Emam of Masalite mosque in Elgenina, Mr. Yosef Mohamed Abakar made a statement that the Massalite are the historical owners of the land in West Darfur. This statement was considered by the Arab tribes as a speech of hate. Following the attack against IDPs in Kirinding Camp , Elgenina, West Darfur, the Masalite have started arming themselves using donations raised by volunteers inside and outside Sudan.

There have been many developments after the fall of former President, Omar al Bashir that has contributed to these attacks and tribal clashes in Sudan. These include the delay in the implementation of the transitional justice programs, unequal participation and representation in current bodies representing the change forces such as Freedom and change alliance (FCA), the delay in the appointment of the State governors, as well as the delay by transitional government in addressing the issues of Justice especially in Darfur.

Background

Of recent there have been increased attacks by armed militias against civilians, mainly internally displaced persons across Darfur region. These attacks have left scores dead and several injured. Most recently , on Thursday 23 July 2020, at least 15 people were killed, 25 others wounded, and tens of people went missing in an attack by armed militias on IDPS in Abdous village 15 km northwest Geraida  town , South Darfur state . Eight people were seriously wounded and transferred to the Hospital in Nyala town.

ACJPS documented the killing of 12 peaceful protesters  and injury of 14 others that occurred on 13 July 2020 in Fata Borno near Kotoum City in North Darfur state..

ACJPS also documented the killing and injury of civilians in, Central, North  and South Darfur in June 2020 by armed militias.  Another incident took place in May 2020 in Central Darfur.  These attacks and tribal clashes in the region reflect the urgent need for implementation of the transitional justice program by the Transitional government across Sudan.

 

ACJPS has received details of people killed and injured, they include;-

Minors injured include;-

2. Amar Sharaf Eldien Omer (m) , 11 years old
3. Ismail Ahmed Khamis (m),17 years old.
4. Juma Musa Ibrahim (m) 9 years old
5. Madina Adam Kharir (f) 12 years old.
6. Nafisa Hassan Idris (f) , 15 years old

Adults injured include;-

7. Mohamed Abdul Rahman Abdallah (m), 50 years old.
8. Abdallah Awad Abdallah , (m) , 52 od old
9. Abdo Hassan Arbab (m) , 23 years old.
10. Abdul Aziz Abdallah Ibrahim (m), years old
11. Abdul Majid Abdallah Hassan (m), 21 years old.
12. Abdul Majid Mohamed Haroun (m), 34 years old.
13. Abdul Rahim Arabab Ibrahim (m), 25 years old.
14. Abul Gasim Omer Hamad (m) ,
15. Adam Yagoub Adam (m) ,
16. Ahmed Khatir Mohamed (m), 45 years old.
17. Alawah Abdallah Ibrahim, (f) , 18 years old .
18. Amani Ibrahim hamid (f), 18 years old .
19. Bashir Ababkar Adam (m), 47 years old.
20. Bura Adam Yagoub (f) , 70 years old .
21. Elteyeb Abdo Matar (m), 25 years old.
22. Elyas Abakar Awad ,(m) , 31 years old .
23. Fatima Yagoup Idris (f) , 60 years old.
24. Halima Khatir Ahmed (f), 45 years old.
25. Halima Mohamed Abdallah (f), 60 years old.
26. Hinda abdallah Ibrahim (f), 18 years old
27. Hussien Juma Abakar (m), 35 years old
28. Ibrahaim Arabab Ibrahaim (m) 25 years old .
    Abdo Arabab younies (m), 45 years old.
29. Ibrahim Ahmed Fadul (m) 40 years old.
30. Jebril Adam Juma(m),40 years old ,

31. Khamis adam Hussien (m), 35 years old.
32. Khamis Ali Rajab (m), 45years old
33. Khatir Adam Abdallah (m) 80 years old
34. Malik Abakar Ibrahim (m), 35 years old .
35. Maohmed Adam yagoub (m), 70 years old.
36. Maryam Ibrahim Ahmed (f) , 30 years old .
37. Matar Adam Mohamed (m) 70 years old .
38. Moahmed Juma Adam (m), 31 years old .
39. Mohamed Ali Khamis (m), 19 years old.
40. Mohmed Eldoma Adam (m), 71 years old.
41. Muzamil Faisal Noor Eldien (m), 25 years old
42. Nuha Ishaq Ibrahim (f) , 18 years old .
43. Osman Musa Ibrahim (m), 29 years old
44. Sadam Abu Bakar Ishaq (m) 20 years old
45. Salah Mustafa Arabab(m), 45 years old .
46. Suliman Ali Ismail (m), 65 years old.
47. Sumia Arbab Doud (f), 29 years old .
48. Sumia Hassan Salih (f), 20 years old .
49. Susan Elshiekh Abdallah (f), 6 years old.
50. Yagoub Juma Mohamed (m), 55 years old.
51. Yassin Ishaq Mohamed (m)
52. Yassin Ishaq Mohamed (m), 34  years old

 

The dead include;-

1. Abakar Abdallah hamad (m)
2. Abdallah Abdallah Ibrahim (m)
3. Abdul Aziz Musa Ibrahim (m)
4. Abdul Rahman Abdalla Yahya (m)
5. Abdul Rahman Abdallah Salih (m)
6. Abdul Rahman Yagoub Juma(m)
7. Abu Bakar Ishaq Ibrahim (m) )
8. Adam Ali Ahmed (m)
9. Adam Daoud (m)
10. Adam Kharir Arbab (m)
11. Adil Juma Mohamed (m)
12. Ahmed Abakar Yagoup, (m)
13. Ahmed mahi Eldien Alamin (m)
14. Ahmed Suliman Ali Ismail (m)
15. Aisha Moahmed Idris (f)
16. Al Nazir Abdalla Abdul kareim (m)
17. Alhadi ishaq khamis (m)
18. Ali Abdallah Daoud (m)
19. Alnadid Mansour Abdul Hafiz (m)
20. Amia Ahmed Musa (f)
21. Anoor Gamar Eldien Ishaq(m)
22. Ashta Mohamed Idris (f)
23. Belal Ali Mohamed (m)
24. Eltahir Abdallah abdallah (m)
25. Gamar Eldien Yagoub Abakar (m)
26. Gisma Abdul Rahman Zakaria (f)
27. Gisma Ishaq juma(f)
28. Hassan Adam yahya (m)
29. Hawa Adul Rahman Juma(f)
30. Hawa yahya Haroun (f)
31. Hinda Faisal Abdul kariem (f)
32. Ibrahim Abdul Rahman Abakar, (m)
33. Idris Adam Ismail (m)
34. Ishaq Abakar Yagoup, (m)
35. Ismail Tuja Khatir (M)
36. Juma Arbab Alnoor (m)
37. Juma Khamis Abdallah (m)
38. Khamis Salih Moahmed (m)
39. Maryam Zakaria Moahmed Abdallah (f)
40. Mayram Juma Arbab (F)
41. Mira Mohamed Idris (f)
42. Mohamed Abakar Abdul Kariem Musa (m)
43. Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed Abakar (m)
44. Mohamed Abdul Azizi Mohamed (m)

46. Mohamed Adam Abdallah (m)
47. Mohamed Ibrahim Suliman (m)
48. Mohamed Ismail Abdallah (m)
49. Mohamed Yagoub Younies (m)
50. Nasr Eldien Abdallah Abdallah (m)
51. Noor Eldien suliman (m
52. Noor Eldien Suliman Arbab (m)
53. Sharif Mohamed Yahya(m)
54. Suham juma Arbab (F)
55. Taha Mohamed Adam (m)
56. Yagoub Abdallah Ibrahim (m)
57. Yagoup Abdallah Mohamed Haroun (m)
58. Yagoup Mohamed Tuja (m)
59. Yousef Ibrahim Musa(m)
60. Zakaria Mohamed Abdallah (m)
61. Zubir Abdalla Abdul kariem (m)

 

Contact:

Mossaad Mohamed Ali, Executive Director, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies. (English, Arabic, Swedish): +46727712782, mossaad.ali@acjps.org