The Kenabi Massacres: Past and Present... and the Absence of Justice
Dr. Gafer Mohammedin Abdeengafertamok@gmail.com
Dated Friday, July 4, 2025
For decades, the Kenabi people in Sudan have been subjected to systematic violations and repeated massacres, without the perpetrators being brought to justice or any serious accountability. These violations were not merely incidental; rather, they reflect an entrenched discriminatory structure that marginalizes this population and denies them their most basic rights to life, security, and full citizenship.
The Past: A Long Legacy of Violence and Exclusion
Since the emergence of the Kenabi, the existence of its inhabitants has been linked to hard work in large agricultural projects without any legal protection or basic services. Over time, these communities have been subjected to repeated attacks, often classified as "civil conflicts," when in reality, they were organized assaults carried out amid official silence and sometimes with the participation of government institutions. During the 1990s and after the Naivasha Agreement, bloody incidents were recorded in areas such as Al-Jazirah, Sennar, and Blue Nile, in which dozens of civilians from the Al-Kanabi community were killed without any independent investigation or accountability for the perpetrators.
Examples of historical massacres:
Dim al-Mashaikha Massacre - 1989
Sharif Yaqoub Holocaust - 1996, where more than 27 students were burned inside the mosque
Umm Dukhun Camp Massacre, Al-Kamlin - 1996
Mecca Rak'a Camp Deportation - 1997
Wadi Sha'ir Village Deportation to Al-Naqrabi in Al-Hasahisa, and a number of its residents killed
Umm Jidyan Camp Massacre in Al-Maturi - 2005
Burning of Takla Muhammad Zain Camp in Madina Arab - 2009
Attempted deportation of Samir Tama Village in North Al-Jazeera - 2012.
Burning and destruction of the Dar al-Salam Al-Baqir area - 2005
Burning of the Al-Sharqi neighborhood, inhabited by a mixture of Darfur tribes, where the residents of 45 homes were displaced - 2020.
These massacres are only a small part of the violations that have affected the residents of Al-Kanabi and the surrounding villages. Present: More Violence and Greater Brutality.
Since the outbreak of war in 2023, the Al-Kanabi area has entered a dangerous phase of overt targeting. Crimes are no longer carried out in secret, but rather openly through forced displacement, mass arrests, extrajudicial killings, and the burning of homes and markets, at the hands of regular forces and allied militias.
In the areas of Al-Kamlin, Al-Manaqil, and South Al-Jazeera, violations categorized as ethnic cleansing have been committed. Residents have been targeted based on their ethnicity and affiliation, families have been displaced, and their villages have been completely burned, without any serious judicial or political action.
Absent Justice: Why is no one being held accountable?
Lack of Political Will: Successive governments have not recognized the Al-Kanabi as civil entities with rights.
Institutional Complicity: Direct or indirect involvement of some security and military actors.
Weak Documentation and Media: The Al-Kanabi case has been deliberately suppressed in the media, keeping the crimes hidden.
Lack of International Accountability: No serious cases have been opened in bodies such as the Human Rights Council or the International Criminal Court regarding what happened.
Conclusion: No Peace Without Justice
The continuation of the massacres against the people of Al-Kanabi
without any accountability perpetuates a culture of impunity and leads to the reproduction of violence generation after generation. Building a just and balanced nation is unimaginable without opening these cases, acknowledging the crimes, prosecuting their perpetrators, and ensuring the rights and dignity of the victims.
In conclusion:
Justice comes first... and human dignity is uncompromising.
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