Gunmen block farmers from tending their lands in Darfur

In North Darfur, militiamen deny farmers access to their farmlands. In Kass locality, South Darfur, gunmen robbed a group of farmers on Friday. In North Darfur, farmers in the areas of Simeiha, Amarjadeed, Um Sidir, Donki Ba’ashim and Amarei complain about the deterioration of the security situation. “Apart from setting up road blocks, militiamen are denying the farmers access to their farmlands”, a farmer in Donki Ba’ashim told Radio Dabanga. “The Janjaweed release their livestock on our farmlands, which we began to prepare for the new agricultural season. They also prohibit us by force to cultivate our lands.” He said that because of the rampant insecurity, many villagers have fled to the adjacent mountains. “They are surviving there in caves for fear of attacks by the government-backed militiamen.” ‘No Darfuris anymore by December’ Omda Ahmed Ateem, the coordinator of the North Darfur camps for the displaced demanded the UN Security Council to “act quickly and save the people of Darfur. “The acts of murder, kidnapping, pillaging, that displaced hundreds of thousands of Darfuris this year people are worse than in 2003-2004. The humanitarian, health, and security situation in the camps has become extremely bad, especially after the spread of the Rapid Support militias across the region.” The coordinator warned that if the UN Security Council does not act quickly, “there will be no Darfuris anymore by December, in particular because the Rapid Support militias and other militias are denying the farmers and displaced in Darfur access to their lands, and ban them from finding jobs.” Farmers robbed “On Friday morning, government-backed gunmen attacked a group of farmers in the areas of Kalu and Amarjadeed in the western part of Kass locality. The farmers who were camping on their lands, were beaten and robbed of their food, sheets, and tarpaulins,” a villager in Kalu reported to Radio Dabanga. The source said that the attack constitutes a warning to the farmers. “The gunmen’s message is that the farmers are not to appear on the farmlands anymore, else they will be beaten and robbed.” He demanded from the South Darfur State authorities to provide security, and enable the farmers to cultivate their lands.Food securityThe Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) in its June report warned that the newly displaced in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile are likely to miss cultivation this year due to insecurity, a lack of access to land, and agricultural inputs. Expected poor rainfall and another bad main harvest will most likely worsen the situation. “The number and severity of the food-insecure population in Sudan may increase considerably in 2015.” In Darfur, food insecurity is likely to persist at least among 30 percent of the displaced and resident communities, as households are still experiencing the impact of last year’s drought, and the above-average increase of food prices.Populations who do not receive food assistance in Darfur are likely to face food insecurity at crisis level, FEWS NET predicted. File photo by by Albert González Farran/Unamid Related:‘Starving displaced need protection’: South Darfur camp head (15 July 2014) Drought, instability worsen food insecurity in Sudan (2 July 2014)  WFP, UNHCR appeal for urgent extra funding (2 July 2014)