Authorities in Sudan’s Al-Jazira state have demolished more than 100 homes in a village, prompting protests from residents and allegations of ethnic and regional discrimination.
The demolition operation was carried out on Tuesday by the Violations Unit of the state Ministry of Urban Planning in Taiba Al-Sheikh Abdul Baqi village.
Wael Al-Amin, a land inspector with the Al-Jazira State Land Protection Authority, said the operation was part of the authorities’ mandate to protect government-owned land and remove illegal structures and encroachments.
Adam Dahab, a traditional leader of the Mararit tribe in Al-Jazira, condemned the demolitions and called on the government, relevant authorities and humanitarian organisations to visit the village, assess the damage and document the destruction.
Dahab described the operation as appalling, saying residents had not expected demolitions on such a scale. He said a small number of villagers had taken part in what he described as an action that violated the rights of affected residents.
A female resident also condemned the destruction and burning of homes, saying families had endured difficult conditions for between five and six years. She questioned the authorities’ failure to protect them and urged the government to take responsibility for their situation.
“We have been left out in the open with our children, with winter already at our doorstep. I do not know where the official responsible for this position expects us to go. Under these circumstances, I would rather he kill me and my children,” she said.
Calls for investigation
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Central Committee of the Kanabi (agricultural labourers’ camps) Conference rejected attempts to justify the demolitions as routine measures to remove encroachments on government land.
The committee said enforcement of land regulations should not leave families homeless or result in violations of their fundamental rights without due consideration for legal and humanitarian safeguards.
It called for an independent and transparent investigation into the operation and an immediate suspension of further demolitions pending a review of the procedures.
The committee also called for an assessment of the demolished homes and affected households, as well as urgent shelter assistance and compensation for those who had suffered losses.
It urged the authorities to publish the decisions and legal documents authorising the operation so residents could access them and exercise their right to appeal and seek legal redress.
The committee warned against using residents’ social or geographical backgrounds to undermine their rights to housing, stability and equal citizenship.
Rights group alleges discrimination
Separately, Darfur Victims Support said documents relating to Taiba Al-Sheikh Abdul Baqi indicated that residents had been settled in the village since 2005. The organisation said the documents had been authenticated by a practising lawyer and described the demolitions as unlawful.
It alleged that the operation was motivated by ethnic and regional discrimination against communities originating from western Sudan and said its legal team would provide assistance to affected residents.
In a separate statement accompanying a video of the demolitions, the organisation accused the authorities of targeting communities from western Sudan.
The allegations of discrimination and the legality of the demolitions could not be independently verified.
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