South Darfur bans use of four-wheel drive vehicles and motorcycles
October 8, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – South Darfur state’s legislative council has passed the community security act which bans use of the four-wheel drive vehicles and motorcycles inside the state.
The law, which has been approved in an emergency session last week, criminalises any person who drives a four-wheel drive vehicle or motorcycle within the state boundaries.
It further provides that those who violate the order will either be imprisoned for up to two years or fined, pointing that breaking the law for a second time would lead to confiscation of the vehicle for the benefit of the state.
The law has granted owners of the four-wheel drive cars six months grace period starting from the date on which the law was adopted to get rid of their vehicles while owners of motorcycles were given three months.
The law provisions have exempted vehicles belonging to the regular forces and government units besides motorcycles used by the traffic police.
South Darfur state has witnessed a near total security breakdown in recent months with recurrent incidents of looting, banditry and murder including from pro-government militias.
Businessmen and commercial convoys in South Darfur are regularly attacked by armed gangs which demand ransom for their release.
On 15 July, the governor of South Darfur state, Adam Mahmoud Jar al-Nabi, declared an indefinite emergency situation in South Darfur state, including a curfew from 7pm to 7am in the capital 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 (turban which covers the face).
It also prohibited tinted glasses on cars in Nyala even for government officials unless permission is being obtained from the traffic police. The decision further prevented firing of gunshots in social events in Nyala.
A special tribunal has been set up to investigate crimes, with residents supplied with phone numbers to contact authorities to report crimes and other violations of the emergency laws.
(ST)