Darfur tribe says attack politically motivated
April 2, 2007 (NYALA, South Darfur) — The leader of Darfur Turjum tribe said the 31 March attack is politically motivated and meant to force them to move from their land.
In a meeting with the governor of South Darfur state, Al-Haj Atta al-Mannan, on Sudany the leaders of the Turum tribe blamed the attack on a Khartoum backed militia from the Rzigat tribe. They said that the attackers are affiliated to the border guards. They added that attackers used heavy weaponry mounted on land-cruisers.
They also indicated that Sudanese security service accuses them of supporting a rebel group, the National Redemption Front.
At least 60 people were killed and 21 wounded in an attack on the Arab tribe turjum by another rival Arab tribe, Rzigat Aballa, on 31 March.
According to a memorandum signed by the Shura (consultation) Council of the Turjum tribe and handed over yesterday to UNMIS in Nyala by demonstrators, 60 members of the Turjum tribe were killed and hundreds wounded in an attack by a group of Rzigat Abala tribesmen in the area of Maraya Janki, 47 km west of Nyala.
The Turjum tribe’s Shura Council demanded the establishment of a neutral investigation committee to identify the nature of weapons used against the victims. They also demanded provision of protection by the Government to the members of Turjum tribe.
The tribal body requested the pursuit of the criminals, and recovery of the looted money, and provision of humanitarian aid to the victims.
While the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdelwahid al-Nur, accused Khartoum of being behind the attack. He said Khartoum tries to lure and mislead the international community and to reduce the Darfur conflict to a tribal one.
“Sudanese government concocted this attack to say to the world look all what is going on the ground there is intertribal fighting like what is happening between the Turjum and the Rzigat.”
He further said that “international community should intervene to protect the civilians and to stop the killing of innocent people or they should support us to defend our people.”
However, the governor of South Darfur pledged during his meeting with the Turjum leaders on Sunday that his government would probe the incident. He further added that if any governmental service is involved in this attack he would take the necessary sanctions to punish the responsible.
Earlier in January, Sudanese government held a reconciliation conference between the Rzigat and the Turjum.
(ST)