Protest in El Obeid against abuses by Darfur militias
Residents of El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan, took to the streets in large numbers on Sunday morning in protest against the repeated assaults, abuses, and robberies by pro-government militiamen, known as Janjaweed. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, witnesses reported that “Janjaweed, led by Hemeti”, harassed a number of women and girls at El Salam district in the western part of El Obeid on Friday evening. When they were confronted by people from the district, they opened fire on them, killing one citizen and injuring others. On Saturday, militiamen raped two girls near Hashaba village, southwest of El Obeid, where the militia are stationed. In the neighbouring village of Um Girein, shop keeper Mahmoud Eisa El Dahawi was murdered in front of his shop on the same day. On Sunday, outraged citizens marched with his body to the office of the Governor of North Kordofan, Ahmed Haroun. The witnesses said that the protesters handed a “strongly-worded memorandum” to the Governor, demanding “the perpetrators be punished, and the militias expelled from North Kordofan within 48 hours”. Governor Ahmed Haroun pledged to address the problem locally, without requiring “intervention from the federal government”. The citizens of El Obeid have repeatedly complained about the “terrifying presence of the Janjaweed in the region”. The witnesses noted that “the authorities are completely unable to take any decision concerning this problem”. Radio Dabanga reported in December last year that Border Guards Commander, Mohamed Hamdan, better known as Hemeti, recruited large numbers of young Darfuris to be trained to fight along with the Sudanese army in South Kordofan. A number of these militiamen were stationed in the area near El Obeid. Haroun is one of the Sudanese officials who were indicted in 2007 by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur. File photo: Commander Mohamed Hamdan, ‘Hemeti’ Related:Militiamen refuse to pay dues in North Kordofan (15 January 2014)Drunk militiaman randomly fires off gun in North Kordofan market (27 December 2014) Civilians, army clash with militia in South Kordofan (24 December 2014) Sudan training young Darfuris to fight in South Kordofan: recruit (9 December 2013)
Residents of El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan, took to the streets in large numbers on Sunday morning in protest against the repeated assaults, abuses, and robberies by pro-government militiamen, known as Janjaweed.
Speaking to Radio Dabanga, witnesses reported that “Janjaweed, led by Hemeti”, harassed a number of women and girls at El Salam district in the western part of El Obeid on Friday evening. When they were confronted by people from the district, they opened fire on them, killing one citizen and injuring others.
On Saturday, militiamen raped two girls near Hashaba village, southwest of El Obeid, where the militia are stationed. In the neighbouring village of Um Girein, shop keeper Mahmoud Eisa El Dahawi was murdered in front of his shop on the same day. On Sunday, outraged citizens marched with his body to the office of the Governor of North Kordofan, Ahmed Haroun. The witnesses said that the protesters handed a “strongly-worded memorandum” to the Governor, demanding “the perpetrators be punished, and the militias expelled from North Kordofan within 48 hours”.
Governor Ahmed Haroun pledged to address the problem locally, without requiring “intervention from the federal government”.
The citizens of El Obeid have repeatedly complained about the “terrifying presence of the Janjaweed in the region”. The witnesses noted that “the authorities are completely unable to take any decision concerning this problem”.
Radio Dabanga reported in December last year that Border Guards Commander, Mohamed Hamdan, better known as Hemeti, recruited large numbers of young Darfuris to be trained to fight along with the Sudanese army in South Kordofan. A number of these militiamen were stationed in the area near El Obeid.
Haroun is one of the Sudanese officials who were indicted in 2007 by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur.
File photo: Commander Mohamed Hamdan, ‘Hemeti’
Related:
Militiamen refuse to pay dues in North Kordofan (15 January 2014)
Drunk militiaman randomly fires off gun in North Kordofan market (27 December 2014)
Civilians, army clash with militia in South Kordofan (24 December 2014)
Sudan training young Darfuris to fight in South Kordofan: recruit (9 December 2013)
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