Residents return to Darfur town after fleeing attack
By Nima Elbagir
SANI DELAIBA, Sudan, Aug 22 (Reuters) – “Only God saved us when the Janjaweed attacked. We had to walk to safety and 12 men were killed,” said Khultoum Eissa Abdallah, now back in her hometown in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region.
Abdallah and thousands of others who fled attacks on Sani Delaiba by marauding Arab militia three months ago are gradually returning to tend crops and rebuild shattered lives.
The town in Southern Darfur state is one of 12 points Sudan has promised the United Nations it will make a safe area for refugees, to comply with a July 30 Security Council resolution.
Burnt remains of homes, a constant reminder of the attack that drove the people out, are overshadowed by new huts being built. Toddlers are going to nursery and the school will reopen in October, later than usual. Residents even have a volleyball net, given to them by a governemnt aid agency.
Residents and local police, who arrived on July 1 to secure the area, said more than 5,000 people had returned to Sani Delaiba. Most were original residents, while a few had come from other villages to settle in this fertile land instead.
Sudan on Saturday signed an agreement intended to ensure the voluntary return of more than 1 million people displaced by fighting in Darfur, after rebels and aid workers said authorities had tried to force some home against their will.
The Sudanese government denies the allegation. It could face international sanctions if it fails to persuade the Security Council by the end of this month that it is taking action to improve security in Darfur.
BETTER THAN CAMP
In Sani Delaiba, the returns appeared voluntary. El-Nur Jadir, 40, said there had been no attacks since he returned to his land a month ago. He said he had hated living in a camp.
“I came back for this land. It is mine. My feeling when I came back was only for the land, I was not thinking of anything else and did not want to be in a camp,” he said. “I came here because I heard from the government that this area was safe.”
After years of conflict between Arab nomadic tribes and African farming communities over scarce resources, rebel groups took up arms in February last year accusing the government of arming Janjaweed to loot and burn African villages in a campaign of ehtnic cleansing.
Khartoum denies the charge and says the Janjaweed are outlaws beyond its control. The United Nations describes the Darfur turmoil as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
An uneasy truce was signed between Khartoum and the rebels in April but each side has since accused the other of violations.
Although residents of Sani Delaiba have not been attacked and feel safer with the presence of 150 police, the distrust of the mounted Arab nomads remains.
“We saw Arabs this morning. Some Arabs came past us on their camels with their animals and they did not do anything to us. They just passed on their way and for our part we did not question them,” said 30-year-old Halima Moussa Suleiman.
Mohamed Abdelsalaam Mahmoud, second in command of the police forces in the area, said people were still afraid of nomads, even if they were not Janjaweed.
“People come and say because of what has passed if we see someone riding a camel we are afraid, even without him doing anything. They say we are afraid of the Arab camel herders because of what has happened.”
He added there were still disputes over pastoral land.
Yagoub Ahmed Abu Riah returning from his fields, said: “My fields are not safe. There are men on camels letting their animals feed on the crops. If you speak to them they will insult you,” he said.
He added he had not been attacked or heard of any attacks.
Mahmoud said: “This is about the pastoral corridors to the agricultural land which is an issue that predates the recent conflict and we are dealing with. We have had several complaints.”
Residents were worrying less about security and were asking instead for beds, pots and pans they lost in the Janjaweed raid.
“We have not even heard of attacks. We go to our crops, we collect wood. Nothing,” said Khalija Adam Salem, 60, pounding millet. “If God is kind we will stay on our land.”