The information in this article comes from:
http://www.khartoummonitor.com
The governors of North and South Darfur States, retired Major Generals, Salah Ali Al Gali and Ibrahim Suleiman have declared Jebel Marra area a closed zone for security reasons in order to crack down on armed robbery which turned recently into tribal rebellion.
Al Gali told journalists in a press conference held at the ruling National Congress Headquarters in Khartoum, that the armed robbers lately started targeting the police and armed forces in Darfur regions.
We consider any target of government forces as a rebellion. The Governor pointed out that the mayhem in Darfur was not caused by political feud but half of the problem was sparked by lack of development. The families have no income, he announced.
Al Gali explained that the Central Government had promised to develop Darfur, however, the people of Darfur were asked to provide security then services would be delivered to their drought-stricken region.
The Governor of South Darfur State stressed that there is no political dimension in the conflict. ?There is armed robbery, it is not a rebellion as understood by others, but targeting the government?s forces amounts to a kind of outlaw act.?
The governor vowed to carry out summary execution of people convicted of causing sedition and racial discrimination among the different ethnic groups living in Darfur. A minister, native administrator, chiefs and local leaders who caused problems will be detained on the spot.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Suleiman, the governor of North Darfur State said that further offensive against the security forces will not be tolerated. We are going to take strict measures against the bandits, the issue of security cannot be resolved by political means, he remarked. Suleiman announced that there is a turning point in the security situation of Darfur region. We are to impose security, he declared.
Suleiman admitted that if there is individual mistake committed by security forces against the rights of civilians, this should not be addressed through the barrel of the gun.
Al Gali announced that to settle the problem between pastoralists and farmers, the government is about to dig water wells in the northern part of the region to avoid nomads? movement southward.
In his address, Al Gali said that earlier this month, Fur tribesmen had gunned down four people in Kaura village, East of Jebel Marra, and on the 15th September, Arab tribesmen killed a police officer and four soldiers in an ambush.
Al Gali announced that the major difficulties hindering restoration of security there was government failure to pay incentives to the police, failure to secure helicopters for pursuing armed robbers.
He also said that the government has agreed to work together with Central African Republic to address issues of security concern along their common border.