136 people killed over land in S. Kordofan, West Darfur: group

July 30, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – At least 136 people died as a result of inter-tribal attacks in West Darfur, South Kordofan and Abyei areas of Sudan in June alone, a New York-based human rights organization said in a report.

The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) said it was deeply concerned over the “continued” inter-tribal clashes occurring in Sudan.

The attacks, it stressed, has resulted into several deaths as well as injuries.

According to ACJPS, conflicts over land in Abyei area, West Darfur and South Kordofan in June 2022 also led to the displacement of 5,000 people.

“The conflicts are often related to border demarcation, gold mining areas, agricultural land, and animal pathways among others,” says the report.

As part of its recommendation, however, ACJPS urged Sudanese authorities to carry out an independent and impartial investigations into the circumstances of the killings, injuries and hold perpetrators accountable.

“Authorities must also to put in place a legislation that addresses land ownership in conflict and mineral rich areas. We also call upon the communities to respect customary land ownership laws,” it stressed.

Further calls were also made for authorities of Sudan and South Sudan to agree and take immediate measures in resolving land conflicts in Abyei.

Inter-tribal land disputes in Sudan have taken place mainly in conflict areas where people were forced to leave their homes and settle somewhere else.

There are also reports that the discovery of minerals in some states have also triggered these conflicts in the recent year, while the withdrawal of the United Nations-African Union hybrid peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) in December 2020 worsened the situation having left a security vaccum.

(ST)