South Darfur governor establishes tribal reconciliation committee
May 25, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The governor of South Darfur state Major General Adam Mahmoud Gar al-Nabi issued a decision on Monday to form a committee to reconcile between Burgud tribe and Rizeigat Aballa clans in Menawashi and Hamada areas which are part of al-Wihda locality east of the state capital of Nyala.
The two sides have been in dispute since 2005 over a piece of land as the Burgud are farmers while the Aballa are herders which creates continuous friction between them.
The Aballa refuse to allow the voluntary return of the Burgud claiming that they have monopoly over the use of the land for grazing.
The governor appointed al-Tom Hadi Dabke as the chairman of the reconciliation committee and tasked him with healing the rift in preparation for a conference that would end the conflict and enable the voluntary return of the population and pave the way for the flow of basic services to help citizens in agricultural production.
The commission is to submit a report within a week.
Last November 15 people were killed and 11 were wounded in Menawashi area in an ambush by armed militias in Hamada area while returning from a voluntary return event.
The state has been plagued with tribal conflicts that destroyed several villages and forced thousands of villagers to flee to camps that lie on the outskirts of city.
(ST)