Bashir meets tribal leader over dispute with North Darfur governor

March 30, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir held a meeting with the notorious tribal leader Musa Hilal to discuss his dispute with the North Darfur governor, Osman Kibir, in the Chadian border town of Um Jaras on Sunday.

Hilal who was one of the main militia leaders that participated in the counterinsurgency campaign during the first years of Darfur crisis, turned recently his militiamen against le governor Kibir and accused him of feeding tribal conflicts in the state.

Kibir is accused of using his government position to reinforce his tribe, the Tama, and consolidate his personal influence in Darfur.

The leader of the Mahadeed, a clan of Rizaigat tribe, recently refused calls by Sudanese officials to meet with vice-president Hasabo Abdel-Rahman to discuss a solution for his disagreement with Kibir.

Different sources said that president Idris Deby who is Hilal’s son-in-law proposed earlier this month during a visit to Port Sudan to organise a meeting between Bashir and the adviser for the ministry of federal government.

During a meeting held on the margins of Um Jaras forum, Hilal expressed “his extreme dissatisfaction” from the North Darfur governor and insisted on the need to dismiss him by a presidential decree in order to end tribal fighting in the state, a source close to the meeting told Sudan Tribune.

The tribal leader stressed that such a decision would pave the way for security and peace in the state of North Darfur.

Al-Bashir “vowed to consider all that could restore security in Darfur”, the source further said, adding that he expects “concrete results” during the coming days without elaborating.

The tribal leader also met with Hassan Al-Turabi, leader of the Islamist opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP), but nothing filtered from the meeting.

However, Turabi called in his speech before the forum for reconciliation between Darfurians saying that peace in the western Sudan region would allow to enhance relations with the neighbouring Chad and regional stability.

Turabi and Sadiq Al-Mahdi, chairman of the National Umma Party (NUP) were invited by the Chadian president to take part in the gathering of Darfur tribal leaders. However Mahdi was represented by his deputy Burma Nasir.

Nasir in his remarks welcomed the participation of Hilal in the meeting and called to end tribal clashes. He also urged the rebel groups to seek a negotiated settlement for the conflict to achieve a lasting peace in the region.

(ST)