March 3, 2020(Elfashir) Residents of the Darbury, Hashaba and Abdul-Shakour areas in Kutum, North Darfur, have accused the a commander of a military force of seizing about 36 km of their lands and transferring them to gold mines.
Meanwhile, residents complained of a terrible deterioration in the environmental sanitation and water pollution due to the harmful use of cyanide in gold mining operations in the region.
The landlords demanded the authorities to stop mining operations in the area, and review all certifications related to the establishment of gold mines, as well as restoration of looted lands to the actual owners.
The people of Dar Beri area recently handed over a letter to North Darfur state governor, Maj. Gen, Malik al-Tayeb Khojali, accusing a military commander of forcibly seizing their lands.
According to the letter that extended to Darfur24, the families who voluntarily returned to their areas of origin have become oppressed guests in their homelands due to the indiscriminate mining of gold and the military presence.
The letter stated that the area is witnessing mining operations, using cyanide and mercury under the supervision of the commander of the military force, pointing out that the man has become a threat to the safety and security of citizens.
It’s worth noting that the use of cyanide and mercury led to the deaths of dozens of livestock as well as polluting the environment .
2020-03-03