Unity state demolition in Bentiu market
March 15, 2012 (BENTIU) – Unity state government is demolishing Market Six and Market France in Benitu amid claims by local traders that they have not received adequate notification or sites for relocation.
Stephen Mabeak Both, a leader for the local traders in Market Six told Sudan Tribune no one had briefed them on relocation.
Both said the SPLA troops claimed they were acting on the orders of the state government and that the traders were “worried for our security and property.”
Many of the traders in Market 6, like Abaker Mohamed Osmanin, hail from Darfur. Osmanin said “we have everything like trading certificates, all tax bills were paid to the government on a monthly base. They were supposed to inform us of where they can relocate us within three to two days for us to shift our properties but there is nothing like that, we are still waiting for the government decision on our relocation.”
The acting state governor, Samuel Long Geng, referred Sudan Tribune on Thursday to the state minister of physical infrastructure, Diew Charoaw Kuel, who presented a document on the demolition to the council of minister last week.
The minister was unreachable.
(ST)