Beni Halba deny government or foreign involvement in South Darfur tribal clashes

One the Fathis (leaders) of the Beni Halba tribe has strongly denied allegations last week by South Darfur governor Adam Mahmoud Jar Al Nabi’s that the tribe used foreigners, border guards and Reserve (Abu Tira) forces along with governmental and presidential support in their fight against Gimr tribe. Speaking to Radio Dabanga from Edd Al Fursan on Thursday, Fathi Madi El Toam called Al Nabi’s allegations “false and completely far from truth”. “We do not need others to help fight our battles,” he said. “We rely on ourselves, our men and our knights, and need no foreigners defend us or stand by our side, as long as the state maintains law, order and security measures.” Fathi El Toum described the current situation in the area as “under control”, stressing that “all leaders and notable figures of Darfur fully recognise that the Hakoura (territory) of the Beni Halba tribe extends from Shattai locality until Albahar south”. “All the bordering tribes to the east, west, and north acknowledge the geographical boundaries of the tribe with its Hakoura, chieftainship and native administration,” he said. “We are also asking our Gimr brothers to join us. God spare the faithful the evil of fighting, compassion to the martyrs of the two sides and urgent healing for the injured in both parties of Beni Halba and Gimr,” Fathi El Toum concluded. In the aftermath of the clashes, Gimr tribe has demanded that Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir, the second vice-president Al Haj Ahmed Youssef, as well as the Ministers of Defence and the Interior to submit their resignations “for failure to protect Sudanese citizens in their neighbourhoods and homes… they stood idly by.” Abkar Al Toum, spokesman for the Gimr tribe, told Radio Dabanga that throughout the hostilities, which flared-up at the end of March, “no official force intervened to protect the inhabitants of Katayla. “The troops that were there were reluctant to intervene, which confirms the conspiracy. Moral responsibility lies with the Ministers of Defence and the Interior for their inability to protect the people of Darfur,” he said.File photo: SAF troopsRelated: Gimr calls foul following ‘tribal attacks’ in South Darfur (23 May 2013)Renewed Gimr-Beni Halba clashes in South Darfur, eight dead (22 May 2013)‘Sudanese government involvement’ alleged in latest South Darfur tribal clashes (28 May 2013)

One the Fathis (leaders) of the Beni Halba tribe has strongly denied allegations last week by South Darfur governor Adam Mahmoud Jar Al Nabi’s that the tribe used foreigners, border guards and Reserve (Abu Tira) forces along with governmental and presidential support in their fight against Gimr tribe.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga from Edd Al Fursan on Thursday, Fathi Madi El Toam called Al Nabi’s allegations “false and completely far from truth”.

“We do not need others to help fight our battles,” he said. “We rely on ourselves, our men and our knights, and need no foreigners defend us or stand by our side, as long as the state maintains law, order and security measures.”

Fathi El Toum described the current situation in the area as “under control”, stressing that “all leaders and notable figures of Darfur fully recognise that the Hakoura (territory) of the Beni Halba tribe extends from Shattai locality until Albahar south”.

“All the bordering tribes to the east, west, and north acknowledge the geographical boundaries of the tribe with its Hakoura, chieftainship and native administration,” he said. “We are also asking our Gimr brothers to join us. God spare the faithful the evil of fighting, compassion to the martyrs of the two sides and urgent healing for the injured in both parties of Beni Halba and Gimr,” Fathi El Toum concluded.

In the aftermath of the clashes, Gimr tribe has demanded that Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir, the second vice-president Al Haj Ahmed Youssef, as well as the Ministers of Defence and the Interior to submit their resignations “for failure to protect Sudanese citizens in their neighbourhoods and homes… they stood idly by.”

Abkar Al Toum, spokesman for the Gimr tribe, told Radio Dabanga that throughout the hostilities, which flared-up at the end of March, “no official force intervened to protect the inhabitants of Katayla. “The troops that were there were reluctant to intervene, which confirms the conspiracy. Moral responsibility lies with the Ministers of Defence and the Interior for their inability to protect the people of Darfur,” he said.

File photo: SAF troops

Related: 

Gimr calls foul following ‘tribal attacks’ in South Darfur (23 May 2013)

Renewed Gimr-Beni Halba clashes in South Darfur, eight dead (22 May 2013)

‘Sudanese government involvement’ alleged in latest South Darfur tribal clashes (28 May 2013)