Messeriya traders close Meram road in protest of heavy tax charges

September 27, 2009 (ABYEI) — Members of Messeriya tribes involved in retail business activities between Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Northern States protested heavy tax charges at Warawar prompting them to close Meram road.

Local authorities collect a highway doll from traders’ trucks entering Aweil through Meram via Warawar. The comprehensive tax includes even local traders. However, Misseriya traders accuse the state government of targeting them and penalizing their interests.

Speaking from Aweil town, Deng Maker, a business man in the area said the Marem based Messeriya tribes have long denied business activities access to Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

It is now more than two months with Aweil receiving goods from Khartoum through other dodgy routes than Meram; he said adding it’s long and costly.

Calling on both South Kordofan and Northern Bahr el Ghazal state governments, to work out how they can instantly settle the issue so retail business activities resume, he said chiefs from both sides have the greater role to play.

He said that local chiefs from both sides particularly the Messeriya needs to be involved in this issue because most of the people involved in road blocks are civilians.

Asked whether he knows why trade route has been closed, he said knows nothing adding they (Messeriya) started with restrictive queries of why northern traders are highly taxed at Warawar peace Market.

We always tell them Warawar tax charges are equally paid without racial segregation by traders entering Aweil through Meram via Warawar. They are paid by all traders regardless of where they come in Sudan including us (local traders), he said.

This is government policy and must be complained against collectively without segregation through trade union office fairly represented in both Warawar and Aweil town, he adds.

Similarly, Deng Yel, an official from State government reiterated the same but declined to comment on why the road has long been blocked without official statement from state governments. It is more than one month that I have never seen vehicles entering Aweil from Warawar. All enters Aweil through Twic, he adds.

However, Deng Ajou, a tax collector at Warawar today denied any heavy tax charges paid by northern traders.

Tax charges are equally paid by both natives and northern traders. Receipts for charges given to all speak for it; he said adding Northern Barhe el State government in communication with South Kordofan State government is working on how to revise tax charges.

(ST)