Police forces kill three protesters in West Darfur camp

April 9, 2017 (EL-GENEINA) – Three people were killed in a camp for internally displaced persons outside El-Geneina, West Darfur, when the police opened fire to disperse a protest by IDPs against a decision to relocate a local market to another area.

An eyewitness told Sudan Tribune that the incident took place Sunday at the Krinding camp, on the outskirts of Geneina town, when a joint force from the police and security services started to remove the Rako Rako market in the implementation of a decision issued by El-Geneina commissioner.

“During the removal process, a fire broke out in a shop made of local materials, and the IDPs demonstrated against the law enforcement agents who rushed to shoot on the protesters killing a woman and injured other dozens. Later, the hospital received the bodies of two people who died of gunshot wounds,” he said.

The residents of the Krinding camp, which is divided into two sections are mainly, Massailit people from South and East of West Darfur but there are also some Gimiir, Bargo, Tama and Zaghawa.

There is no official statistics about the number of residents in the camp, but the WFP in its figures of 2015 says it assists some 5,428 households in Krinding 1 and 2,416 households in Krinding 2.

A West Darfur official who preferred anonymity confirmed to Sudan Tribune the incident.

He said El- Geneina commissioner since last month has issued a decision to relocate the market to a new market at two kilometres but the displaced refused the decision.

The local official further said the decision has been taken because the current market has become a hideout for drug trafficking, adding that the police opened fire because some protesters were carrying grenades in their hands.

(ST)