Lawlessness in Darfur unabatedly continues
By Mahmoud A. Suleiman
Darfur remains passing from bad to worse until the lawlessness reached sky-high stage and the anarchy epidemic it the unarmed peaceful citizens in kill off. The National Congress Party (NCP) regime guaranteed protection for the criminals belonging to the infamous security apparatus the so-called National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). The criminals who wreak havoc in all the five States of the Darfur region of El-Fasher, Nyala, Geneina, Zalingei and Daein are all above accountability. Thus, they enjoy impunity since they belong to the Security Service (NISS).
Over the past three weeks, Darfur continues witnessing new waves of unprecedented lawlessness under the blessing of the central government in Khartoum. The news outlet reporters from Darfur believe that most, if not all the perpetrators of the looting and pillaging of criminals have central military affiliation. They do not obey the laws of State Governments. Moreover, and to be clear firm intervention from the centre remain in dire need. Intervention remains required specifically from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior and as well as the Federal Security Service and the Central Reserve, if seriously putting an end to the lawlessness targeted. Lawlessness has taken its toll in all the major cities and towns in Darfur. It is affecting the lives of unarmed civilians and the shop owners, street venders and even ordinary citizens walking on the street. The gangs who demand money in cash, smart mobile phones, target them. If they refuse, their fate would be bullets shot at close range and inevitable death to the victim is expected. Some of those lawless criminals include, among others, outlaws, whether they are from the so-called border guards, rapid support Forces – the newly cloned Janjaweed and the remnants of neo-signatory armed movements troops and signatories to the defunct Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPF).
Impunity and lawlessness is reining all the Darfur region’s five states El Fasher, Nyala, El Geneina and Zalingei and Daein. Lawlessness victims who have been cited by the newspapers such as Radio Dabanga include
In the Capital of the North Darfur State, El Fasher, in a matter of one-week the gangsters killed three innocent civilian people. The shortened names reported include Musab Omar, Peter and Abdullah Fadul in the Unity neighborhood. Two gunmen from government militia shot dead the student Abdullah Fadul in the city of El Fasher, on the evening of Friday June 24. 2016. Abdullah Fadul was a student at the University of Nilein College of Law third level. Witnesses told (Radio Dabanga) that the gunmen believed to be militiamen aboard motorcycles asked Abdullah to hand them over his Smartphone. When Abdullah refused, they shot him and seriously wounded him. The incidence took place after the Taraweeh Prayer. He refused was later taken to El Fasher hospital where he lost his life of his wounds. Masses of the angry demonstrators came out of El Fasher city of the hospital morgue, echoing slogans condemning the crime and militia attacks on citizens. They then headed to the house of the Governor of North Darfur state, Abdul Wahid Youssef Ibrahim demanding for action curbing the chaos. The Sudanese masses in El Fasher came out roaring in the demonstrations demanding the murder and demanding punishment of the killers. In Daein, the capital of the Eastern Darfur State, the criminals burnt the home of the Governor and repeated events in Daein prison and before the abduction and looting of cars. In Zalingei the Capital of Central Darfur State they looted the wagon of a Minister and when they arrested the gangsters, the robbery gang members went armed with their weapons, demanding the release of the offenders. In West Darfur State, El-Geneina is the Capital the Lawless criminals killed dozens in the township of Azirni and dozens dead in the Baida areas. Furthermore, masked gunmen continued looting pharmacies at gunpoint unabatedly. The situation of terrorizing the citizens by the roar of the gun firing during the nighttime continues. There is no action for putting an end to that epidemic of lawlessness. The only phrase repeatedly said remains (Unidentified gunmen)! Sadly, these atrocious crimes kept happening during the Holy Month of Ramadan in the five states of Darfur.
Observers say deploring the phrase unknown gunmen, how these criminals be anonymous? The heinous crimes take place at the sight of everyone and the armed criminals undeterred before the eyes of the security forces. They are seen riding government motorcycles that do not hold license plates strung with covers of their faces by “Kadmool” which is a turban that covers the head face and neck of the criminal as a camouflage. The gangsters tended wearing civilian clothes and riding a Four-wheel Drive Land Cruiser vehicle and armed with a military gun known as Dushka. People know them without doubt. They are well known criminals and by no means classified as unknown? They are well- known to everyone, and if we do not put points on the letters will remain Darfur on like this and the case to the Day of Resurrection.
Of course, there is no civilian citizen riding Cruiser wagon and armed with Dushka and parades inside the main urban markets in Darfur. These criminals see themselves as above the law and above accountability and above the Sate Authority. The logical way to put an end to this lawlessness rest on provided there is will and ability.
The governments of the five States in Darfur wholeheartedly strive to hunt down the perpetrators and arrest them and put them in prison. But that kind of action if happens, unfortunately to the citizens, the threat from the central government which demands the release of the imprisoned offender would foil the attempt. It is impossible rectifying this crooked situation in the light of the absence of the prestige of the state. Obviously, one would not expect an ordinary civilian citizen threaten the whole government. The vicious cycle continues in the form of following each incident, the relatives of the victim express their indignation and carrying the governors of States responsible for the accident.
In theory every governor of the state in the five states of Darfur represents President of the Republic of Sudan and responsible for the protection of harm to the people there. He is also responsible for the security committee according to his mandate. However, when the truth appears in despite the effort that each Governor exerts the situation remains out of control. There are limits to their power. and the best example is that even a foot soldier without any rank or even a single bar on his shoulder can challenge the Governor by saying to the Governor or the head of security or the army commander in the States using arrogant words (Who are you to ask me about this and that)!
When people get hold of criminals, an armed group interferes by threatening the release of the offender as a compromise or otherwise they would create a state of chaos. Darfur became a nogo area controlled by masked gunmen as above the law.
This unprecedented Lawlessness in Darfur continued unabatedly in spite of the 4 April 2016 Directives of the National Congress Party (NCP) President Omar Al Bashir has directed the Courts that from that day, anyone found guilty of vehicle theft in Darfur will be sentenced to have their hand cut-off, according to Islamic law. Omer al-Bashir declared that during his visit to Darfur and was speaking to a mass rally in the South Darfur capital of Nyala on the third day of a tour of the Darfur states ahead of the referendum. https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/darfur-vehicle-thieves-hands-to-be-chopped-off-al-bashir.
Radio Dabanga also reported that, Al Bashir, in his speech said that “after today, if a car is found to be stolen, the thief will be brought to justice. The value of a vehicle is sufficient to justify the sentence of having the right hand cut-off, according to Islamic law.”
The punishment is indeed provided for by Articles 170 and 171 of the Sudanese Penal Code of 1991, which stipulates the cutting off a thief’s right hand. https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/darfur-vehicle-thieves-hands-to-be-chopped-off-al-bashir.
The problem of lawlessness in the States of Darfur is not caused because of the lack of laws. But the problem is that those laws do not apply to offenders belonging to the security apparatus (NISS) or members of the ruling regime’s army or the cloned Janjaweed militias the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which waging a proxy war of attrition against the civilian population in Darfur.
The lack of activation and application of the laws against offenders in Darfur is only an extension of plans for the (NCP) regime to create a situation of instability, intimidation and murder. It is nothing but an extension of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide for which the International Criminal Court (ICC) indicted Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir since 2009, and he remained on the run fugitive from international justice. The Génocidaire Omar al-Bashir and his criminal entourage believed that creating an atmosphere of chaos and lawlessness in Darfur makes the people of Darfur preoccupied by their squalid conditions and would have no room for them to think about the continued support of their revolution that erupted since 2003. In the circumstances, there is no way out of this impasse, but the demise of the regime of the NCP by all means available through the solidarity and Massive Uprising of the Sudanese people in all its components protected by the Nationals in the Sudan Armed Force (SAF). Moreover, on the ruins of the ruling regime, the people of Sudan decide their future political system and type of government they deem it appropriate, and not the so-called alternative, which means the Regime change, replaced by a similar Regime of Omar al-Bashir in another way. Sudan after the demise of the regime of the NCP is not enough to change the faces of the crew of the governors, but the next phase will require a radical change, upside down, as they say.
Victor Hugo the French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic Movement is quoted as saying: (When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right).
Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is an author, columnist and a blogger. His blog is http://thussudan.wordpress.com/