DARFUR STRUGGLE OF POWER AND RESOURCES, 1650–2002 AN INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE Yousif Suliman Saeed Takana DARFUR STRUGGLE OF POWER AND RESOURCES, 1650–2002 AN INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE Yousuf Sulayman Saeed Takana Translated by Awad Al Awad DARFUR – STRUGGLE OF POWER AND RESOURCES, 1650–2002 AN INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE Copyright © Chr. Michelsen Institute 2016. P.O. Box 6033 N-5892 Bergen Norway [email protected] Printed at Bodoni AS, Skjenet 10, 5354 Straume, Norway The picture on the front page is borrowed from Margaret Shinnie: “Ancient African Kingdoms”, New York: New American Library 1965, p.90. Layout: Geir Årdal ISBN 978-82-8062-583-0 Table of Contents About the author ......................................................................................................................... ix Preface ........................................................................................................................... xi Glossary .........................................................................................................................xiii INTRODUCTION Introduction ............................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER ONE The Fur Sultanate, 1650–1916: The Background of the Struggle over Power and Natural Resources 1-1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................9 1-2 Wars in the Early Stages of the Sultanate .............................................................. 11 1-2-1 The Gimir Sultanate ........................................................................................12 1-2-2 The Zaghawa Kobi Sultanate ..........................................................................14 1-2-3 The Zaghawa Kabka Sultanate .......................................................................17 1-2-4 The Bigo Sultanate ..........................................................................................19 1-2-5 Attempts to Subjugate the Arab Bedouins ...................................................20 1-2-6 The Struggle with Foreign Powers.................................................................23 1-2-7 The Fur Sultanate Princes’ Revolts during the Turkish and Mahdist Regimes.....................................................................................28 1-2-8 Darfur and the Struggle of Resources and Power after Independence ......................................................................40 CHAPTER TWO Land Institutions and their Impact on Tribal Conflicts in Darfur 2-1 Introduction ............................................................................................................49 2-2 The Fur Sultans and the Annexation of Tribal Lands ......................................... 50 2-3 The Land Policy of the Fur Sultans .......................................................................53 2-3-1 The Sultan’s Palace Lands ...............................................................................53 2-3-2 The Basinga and Abonga Lands .................................................................... 54 v 2-3-3 The Mairam Lands ......................................................................................... 56 2-3-4 Land Grants to Religious Scholars .................................................................61 2-3-5 Land Grants to Political Elites ....................................................................... 65 2-3-6 Tribal Lands ....................................................................................................68 2-3-7 Example of Settled Tribes’ Diar (Homelands)...............................................71 2-3-8 The Central Regimes’ Policies towards Lands in Darfur ............................ 76 CHAPTER THREE Natural Resources Deterioration and its Impact on Tribal Conflicts in Darfur 3-1 Introduction .............................................................................................................85 3-2 Animal Resources in Darfur .................................................................................88 3-3 Pastures in Darfur .................................................................................................90 3-4 The Sahel Drought Waves’ Impact on North Darfur ..........................................90 3-5 Nomadic Routes in Southern Darfur ...................................................................96 3-6 Nomadic Routes in West Darfur (Fur Areas of Jebel Marra) .............................101 CHAPTER FOUR Customary Law Institutions in Darfur: Their Impact on Tribal Conflict 4-1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 109 4-2 The Dali Customary Law ......................................................................................110 4-3 Customary Institutions of the Dar Tribes ............................................................111 4-3-1 The Dimlij Institution ....................................................................................111 4-3-2 Dimlij Qualities and Selection Criteria ....................................................... 112 4-3-3 The Authorities and Rights of the Dimlij .....................................................113 4-3-4 The Internal Organization of the Tribal Dimlij Institution ........................113 4-3-5 Customary Organization in Dar Masalit ......................................................115 4-4 Customary Institutions of the Baggara and Abbala Arabs in Darfur ...............119 4-5 The Evolution of Customary Law in the Bani Halba Tribe ................................125 4-6 The Development and Adaptation of Customary Law Institutions by the Fur and Masalit Tribes ...............................................................................127 4-7 Tribal Customary Institutions in Darfur: Conclusions .................................... 129 CHAPTER FIVE The Collapse of Native Administration Institutions and Ensuing Struggles in Darfur 5-1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 133 5-2 Examples of Men in the Native Administration of Darfur ................................136 5-2-1 Abdelrahman Mohamed Bahraldin .............................................................136 vi 5-2-2 Bushawa Dawsa .............................................................................................136 5-2-3 Osman Hashim ............................................................................................. 137 5-2-4 Hasan Bargo Hasan Dogi .............................................................................138 5-2-5 Basi Salem Tagal ............................................................................................138 5-2-6 The Awlad Mohamadain ...............................................................................139 5-3 The Philosophy and Approach of British Policy towards Native Administration in Darfur .................................................................................... 140 5-4 British Administration and the Establishment of Native Administration in Darfur, 1917–1950 .................................................................141 5-5 The Establishment of Native Administration in North Darfur ........................ 142 5-5-1 The Establishment of Native Administration in the Central Region (Elfasher) .................................................................. 142 5-5-2 The Establishment and Development of Native Administration in the Eastern Region (Um Kaddada, Tuwaisha) ....................................... 144 5-5-3 The Establishment and Development of Native Administration in the North District (Kutum) ......................................................................145 5-6 The Development of Native Administration in Southern Darfur .................... 149 5-6-1 The Magdoomiya of Southern Darfur ........................................................ 149 5-6-2 Baggara Nomad Administrations in Southern Darfur .............................. 152 5-6-3 Native Administration in Western Darfur (Zalinji)....................................158 5-7 Native Administration under National Regimes, 1955–2002 ........................... 162 5-7-1 Native Administration under Early National Regimes, 1956–1969 ......... 162 5-7-2 Native Administration in Darfur between the October 1964 Uprising and the May Regime, 1969–1985 ................................................ 164 5-7-3 Native Administration under the Inghaz Regime, 1989–2002 ............... 169 CHAPTER SIX Conclusion Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 173 SOURCES AND REFERENCES References in Arabic ...........................................................................................................177 References in English ........................................................................................................ 186 APPENDIX Appendix A: List of individuals interviewed ....................................................................195 Appendix B: Generations of Fur Keira sultans ...............................................................208 vii viii DARFUR: STRUGGLE OF POWER AND RESOURCES, 1650–2002 About the author Dr. Yousif Takana was born in Buram town, South Darfur in 1947. His grandfather Takana was tribal chief of the Habania during the Mahdist