El Fasher — The Minister of Agriculture for North Darfur state, Issa Mohamed Abdullah, has predicted that the peace treaty signed by the Abbala and Beni-Halba tribes in El Fasher on Saturday would lead to the agricultural success of the state.

In a statement from state capital El Fasher, Minister Abdullah underscored that the production areas of Kabkabia, Saraf Omra, and Al Seraif Beni Hussein contribute to the equivalent of 40 per cent of North Darfur state's production partly due to the moderate rainfall in the eastern and south-eastern localities of Ailliet, El Taweisha, Umm Keddada and around El Fasher itself.

The treaty

Details of the El Fasher agreement that have reached Radio Dabanga include a stipulation prohibiting the wearing of a face mask (Kadmol) in public places, facilities, markets, towns and villages. The treaty also stipulates that "all criminal cases subsequent to the signing should be treated as individual incidents to be handled within the criminal justice framework".

In terms of the agreement "Al Seraif and its administrative components exercise right and duty throughout the locality, including the mine of Jebel 'Amer, protect and keep the right to each of these resources' benefits." The management and protection of Jebel 'Amer mine will be taken over by the official government authorities.

The agreement also stipulated that "the state and the federal government, the local community, as well as foreign and national organisations should act to provide relief to the affected people, the return of displaced people to their villages and advocacy in the region to promote a culture of peace and coexistence".

Origins

Earlier this year, the two tribes clashed violently over control of the Jebel 'Amer gold mine, leaving about 500 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced, according to UN estimates. Since then, sporadic clashes between the tribesmen have often given rise to concerns for the peace process.