[TRANSLATED] SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Al-Jazeera – Tribal violence in eastern Sudan: the roots of the conflict and the causes of its renewal

27/8/2020: Al-Jazeera – Tribal violence in eastern Sudan: the roots of the conflict and the causes of its renewal by Ahmed Fadl

Ahmed Fadl’s feature piece charts the history of Beni Amer-Nuba tensions in Port Sudan, and reasons for the rise.

 The first confrontation began in 1986 following political disagreements among parliamentary candidates over the legal status of alcohol. Then, security forces “imposed” control over the Beni Amer Dar al-Naim neighbourhood and the Nuba Filib neighbourhood, until it was dispersed a month after Omar al-Bashir’s fall.

 Local Dr. Asjad Abdelmoneim said that the murders are becoming more brutal, and that live bullets are being used by the tribes, in contrast to previous injuries caused by sticks. She added that the lack of police stations and hospitals limits the authorities’ ability to anticipate conflicts.

 Saleh Ahmed, a Bani Amer teacher, said security services handled friction in 2018, but the same agencies are now unable to access weapons and saboteurs.