Members of the Al-Maalia tribe have rejected the East Darfur government’s appointment of state ministers to their region.

Prominent Al-Maalia member Yusuf Hamid said the decision is meaningless and the ethnic group want to split the areas of Adila, Abu-Karenka, Kalick and Abu-Salaama into a separate region from the rest of East Darfur.

“We in Adila and Abu-Karenka have raised the idea of boycotting the government in East Darfur,” he said. “The reason that led us to boycott the state is that the state has become a tribal state for Rezigat only.”

Tensions reached a peak five months ago in bloody clashes between the Al-Maalia and the Rezigat over a land dispute. More than 300 people were killed and another 600 wounded in the fighting. An additional 50 thousand people were displaced.

Until the conflict is resolved, Hamid warned the newly appointed ministers not to come to the region or they could be harmed.

He said an official delegation from the area is currently in Khartoum to lobby for independence.