South Darfur’s pharmacists strike to protest looting incidents
June 22, 2016 (NYALA) – Sudanese Pharmacists Union (SPU) chapter in South Darfur state has declared a general strike and decided to close all pharmacies following a series of armed robbery incidents against several pharmacies in the state’s capital, Nyala.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the SPU said it held an emergency meeting on Wednesday and decided to close all pharmacies and pharmaceutical services centers in the state for 24 hour in protest against “the systematic looting incidents that has been carried out by the armed bands in Nyala during these days” .
On Tuesday night, three armed men had stormed the Dair Mokair pharmacy in downtown Nyala and shot and injured a local who attempted to resist them before fleeing.
Also, on June 12th, masked men broke into Silik pharmacy in downtown Nyala and threatened the pharmacist at gunpoint before they stole sums of money from the cabinet besides his mobile phone.
The statement pointed that the pharmacists’ lives are in great danger, pointing that the security conditions in the state are collapsing.
It demanded the state’s government to protect the residents and their property.
A number of residents have expressed concern over the return of the lawlessness situation which prevailed in Nyala before imposing the emergency situation, pointing that the looting of a pharmacy in downtown is a serious indicator that the state could return to the previous situation.
Since July 2014, the governor of South Darfur Adam Mahmoud Jar al-Nabi, declared an indefinite emergency situation in the state, including a curfew from 7pm to 7am (local time) in Nyala.
The decision also banned riding of motorcycles by more than one person, holding weapons while wearing civilian clothes, vehicles driving around without license plates, and wearing a kadamool (a turban which covers the face).
(ST)