Tensions remain high in Rashad after tribal revenge killings
July 31, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Tensions are running high in South Kordofan’s Rashad region after it emerged that a Hawazma/Baggara tribe member, believed to have been killed by armed rebels from the Sudan People’s Liberation movement-North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan, was in fact killed by a member of the same ethnic group.
According to the UK-based Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO UK), The victim was found dead on 22 July in a village called Tabadlyia on the outskirts of Rashad.
It was later established that the person allegedly responsible for the killing was from the same ethnic group but had dumped the body in Tabadlyia in order to cause confusion.
As details of the true facts surrounding the case emerged, the Rashad community asked the family of the alleged suspect to leave the town.
While family members initially complied, they later returned to Rashad, where the father of the family is reportedly a cousin of the Rashad commissioner.
SUDO UK said that following the incident, members of the Hawazma community who belong to the Peoples Defence Forces (PSF) – a government-backed militia group – travelled to the village where the body had been found i search of those responsible.
Unable to locate them, it is then alleged that the PDF group shot dead farmer Musa Ibrahim Musa (nicknamed Krongo) from the Rashad ethnic group near Jebbel Fallatah.
The group are then alleged to have moved on to another farm where they shot dead Adam Ismail Omar (nicknamed Sukar), a local imam also from the Rashad ethnic group.
Both bodies were brought back to Rashad town, with the families of the dead men refusing to bury them unless the killers and their families were transported out of Rashad on a permanent basis.
Community leaders subsequently intervened, vowing to resolve the situation peacefully and the funerals proceeded.
At a demonstration after the funeral, protesters carried signs with slogans such as “there is no government, there is no law, there is no justice,” and, “some people are held accountable for a pound of sugar and some people are carrying weapons and killing, but are not held accountable”.
The demonstrators, which included women, children and the elderly, moved from the graveyard to the front of the local administration buildings, where they continued to press for their demands to be met.
Protesters are calling for the PDF and the Baggara ethnic group to be disarmed, saying all Baggaras must be transported from Rashad.
In separate demands, they also called for the local commissioner to be removed, adding that those responsible for the killings must be arrested and brought for justice.
Protesters continued to hold a sit-in in front of the offices until evening when they took Iftar.
SUDO UK said the paramount chief of Rashad later came and spoke with protesters, making assurances their demands would be met. The people dispersed but returned to demonstrate in the same place over the next two days.
A delegation from South Kordofan capital Kadugli has visited the area, where they held meetings with representatives of the conflicting ethnic groups, although no resolution was reached.
There are fear tensions could escalate and lead to violent confrontations between the two groups.
(ST)