A preliminary Report on the Events of Mulle village and Surrounding Areas in West Darfur State

06:09 PM Feb, 01 2016

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A Preliminary Report on the Events of Mulle Village and Geneina City and Surrounding Areas in West Darfur State, During the Period , 8 Jan. 2016 – 15 Jan.2016.

This preliminary report consists of
1- An introduction
2- Reference - Darfur Bar Association’s Decision to Act
3- Investigation Committee’s Means of Work - Investigations and field interviews
4- Direct contacts.
5- Evaluation.
6- Recommendations.
Introduction:
On 8 Jan. 2016 the events of this report had erupted in Mille village, 15 km away from Geneina, the capital city of West Darfur State. The events consisted of attacks on the Mulle village inhabitants and surrounding areas by the armed herdsmen militias. A number of people were killed and injured in the events while public and private properties were overwhelmingly looted and/or destroyed by the said militias. The destructive events expanded to neighboring and other areas to continue till 15 Jan.2016.
Darfur Bar Association (DBA) has immediately issued, upon receiving the news, a statement condemning the use of force as means of expressing views whatsoever and called on the population to keep quiet and practice the uttermost self-control to avoid more escalation. In the meantime DBA formed a committee from its Darfur members to investigate the facts about the events and prepare a report on the findings. The present report is a preliminary report of the Committee; while it is continuing in the provision of the necessary legal aid to the victims of the events, and chasing and filing legal cases against the culprits to strip them of the impunity they used to enjoy.
Reference: Darfur Bar Association’s Decision to Investigate the January 2016 events in West Darfur .
Darfur Bar Association has taken a unanimous decision to form an investigation committee to investigate into the underlying causes and subsequent repercussions of the events and prepare a report. The decision was taken on 10 Jan.2016 based on DBA Statute.
Means of the Committee’s Work:
a- Field observations and interviews
b- Direct contact with the stakeholders.
The Committee works voluntarily and no member of the Committee receives any payments or rewards whatsoever from any party.
Events unfolding:
1- On 8 Jan.2016, an unidentified herds shepherd was found dead near Mulle village, and immediately the Sheikh of the village was informed about the dead boy. The Sheikh immediately reported the incident to the police authorities in Geneina, the capital city of West Darfur State. The incident was filed as a police case and the police started its investigation procedures.
2- In the next day , 9 Jan.2016 a number of herdsmen came to Mulle village and accused the inhabitants of the village of killing the herds shepherd who was found dead a day earlier and asked the village inhabitants to pay Diyya (blood Reparation) for the soul of the dead person .The Inhabitants of the village said they have no connection whatsoever with the killing of the person found dead and eventually refused to pay the Diyya for a crime they did not commit . The herdsmen gave the village inhabitants a dead line till the sunset to pay the Diyya . In the early morning of 10 Jan. 2016 , Mulle village was attacked by herdsmen committing looting and incendiary acts and shooting on whoever moves around before them on sight .In the same morning the herdsmen attacked Attiya and Bertino villages south west of Geneina City . The assault on the three villages resulted in three death casualties, looting properties, whipping women and children and forcing the inhabitants to flee away from their villages to take refuge in Geneina City.
3- Upon arrival to Geneina the inhabitants went to Walli’s house (State Governor’s house) to meet the Walli (State Governor) .
4- The displaced angry inhabitants of the three villages were unable to meet the Walli and eventually moved in crowds heading to the State Government’s premise (The Secretariat General of the State Government). In their way, and before reaching the State Government’s Secretariat, they came under a barrage of bullets from different types of rifles, and immediately four death casualties were reported along with a number of injured persons. Death casualties continued to increase to reach 14 death casualties and 167 injuries by the fourteenth of January 2016. A car owner was also targeted but luckily he happened to be away from his car and nobody was injured .
Committee Field Investigations:
Upon Investigating and visiting the fields where the events have taken place, which included the following villages:
1- Mulle
2- Attiya
3- Bertino
4- Geneina City
5- Um Tajok
6- Um Shalata
7- Um Kadosa
8- Hillat Gammar
9- Giraida
10- Um Dukhun
11- Ardaiba
12- Toka
13- Shotok
14- Um Sayyal
15- Azirni
The Committee found the following:
1- The attacked villages belong to Masaleit Tribe, besides the Masaleit, other small tribal groups live with them in a peaceful coexistence for so long a time.
2- The actions taken about the person found dead in Mulle village conform legally with the prevailing law procedures and the known behavior of an ordinary man.
3- The assaulting herdsmen who attacked Mulle village never asked about any person they may presume or allege to have committed the killing, but instead, asked for Diyya payment to be paid to them without proving any attachment to the dead person (work or blood relationship) , not even disclosing his name .They acted as if the killing incident itself never concerns them anymore , they just wanted the Diyya to be paid to them and their alleged grievance eventually ends there.
4- The assaulting herdsmen never attacked Mulle village alone where the corpse was found but attacked many other villages as listed above. Many villages were burnt to ashes and looted, and wide spread crimes were committed.
Field Evidences Collected:
1- The present Walli (Governor) of West Darfur State Mr. Khalil Abdallah Mohammed adopted a policy of good governance whereby he cracked on the corrupt power circles of the ruling party, The National Congress Party (NCP), and denied them of their safe haven of corruption in the State. The Walli denied them of their sway in the functioning of the State Government system, and soon they started to fight back. The corrupt NCP power circles forged different tactics to influence the decisions of the Walli including playing with innocent human lives to resume power again. Evidences allude to the criminal tactics of these power circles in the State to have fomented the recent incidents.
2- The assaulting Arab herdsmen belong to different Arab tribes with one aim in common: getting the Diyya on the alleged killed person .There are evidences that the dead person is not an Arab and has no relation with the assaulting Arab herdsmen.
3- There is evidence that there was somebody who assumed the position of a Government official and in that assumed capacity reported to the crowding displaced persons who crowded in front of the Walli’s house that the Walli refused to meet them and went to the State Government Secretariat Premises. That is why the crowds headed to the State Government Secretariat Premises, and events unfolded as described earlier.
Evaluation:
1- The events that took place in Mulle, Attiya and Bertino clearly demonstrated the absence of the role of the Government Authorities to protect the citizens, securing their properties in West Darfur State. More ironically it is evident that the armed militias used to take law in the barrels of their guns and dictate their own order with impunity.
2- It also became evident , that , although the Governor adopts good governance , but that attitude seems to be in theory while that approach needs to be brought to bear on the ground which is not the case . It is evident that the Governor lacks the political, administrative and security expertise necessary to administer such a border state. The Governor actually lacks the needed knowledge and information on the social, security and political complexities this border state is replete with. Dependence on the defunct strategy of tribal portioning in the distribution of Government positions and baseless reconciliations with giving due observance to competence and qualifications in the assignment of Government posts .These drawbacks and many others contributed negatively in the slackness of the State Government Apparatus , though statements aired out are well and good.
3- The NCP power circles in the State used these events to impose their will on the Walli to restore their previous status in the Government administration. The conflict within the NCP big guns itself led to the maladministration seen in the State.
4- The distribution of guns and ammunitions to tribes loyal to the Authority with the presumption of fighting the armed factions, led these loyal armed tribes to presume the role of the regular forces, and eventually led them to commit heinous crimes punishable by law. The policy of arming the tribes proved to be, beyond any doubt, a catalyst for insecurity in the State.
5- It became clearly evident that herdsmen who crossed the borders into Sudan used to commit widespread crimes against the Sudanese nationals using all means of transportation, such as 4-wheel drive cars, bikes armored with light to medium and even heavy weapons. It is feared that these very tribes and cross-border moving militias constitute a safe haven for terrorist groups from Sub-Saharan Africa.
6- Evidences prove that there is no presence for the Darfur armed factions in West Darfur State.
7- It became evident that West Darfur Government’s claim that the State is secure and safe is baseless.




Recommendations :
1- It is extremely important to put a lasting end to the Government policy of arming tribes to fight alleged enemies on its behalf .All arms must be in the hands of the regular armed forces so that they can be directly accountable for their acts. This needs to be effected in all parts of Darfur, especially West Darfur State.
2- All stakeholders must apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice so that the rule of law will not be demeaned or abused.
3- Government officials in the State who abused their powers or failed to use their powers properly in due time and space must be held accountable for their deeds.
4- The victims of the events must be compensated for the loss of their properties on the basis of comprehensive reparation arrangements.
5- Civilian rescue rallies must be controlled by the authorities, and must only be practiced under the rule of law.
6- Diyyas must be legally certified and be paid only in front of courts.
7- Newly established popular administrations must be reviewed for the purpose of reducing their numbers.
8- UNAMID must be empowered and entitled to use force to protect the civilians.
9- The regular armed forces must be empowered to play a proactive rather than the current reactive role in the protection of the civilians.

25 Jan. 2016









Attachments:
1- A list of the names of the victims ascertained by the Committee.
2- A list of the names of the wounded persons (to be kept confidential).
3- Pictures shot from the crime scenes.























List of the persons killed in the events:
1- Salah Adam Haroon, 45 years of age
2- Taha Hussein Adam Ismael , 32 years
3- Habeeb Mohammed Yagoub
4- Abbaker Yahya Yagoub
5- Ramadan Abdulkareem Haroun , 45 years
6- Abdul Aziz Mohammed Ahmed
7- Mohammed Ibrahim Ishag
8- Abdul Razig Ishag Juma’a
9- Abdul Naser Abdul Kareem Abdallah, 38 years
10- Mohammed Shareif Adam , 13 years
11- Yahya Juma’a Yagoub ,30 years
12- Mubarak Mohammed Yagoub, 25 years
13- Sulieman Yusif Khamis Musa, 30 years
14- Mohammed Ibrahim Ishag .












Pictures Taken from the Crime Scenes:













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