Protests in Darfur refugee camps overcast peace deal
June 3, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Most camps of refugees and internal displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan’s western region of Darfur are in a state of disarray because of continuous demonstrations against the African Union (AU)-sponsored peace dealbetween the government and Darfur rebel movements.
Most of the demonstrators are from the Fur tribe, the biggest non-Arab tribe in Darfur, and supporters of Abudu al-Wahid Mohammed al-Nour, also a Furian, who is leading a main faction in the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and has refused to sign the AU-sponsored peace agreement, said an official administrating one of the biggest refugee camps in Darfur.
The disarray in the refugee camp coincides with an escalation of security tensions in the region following the signing of the peace agreement in the Nigerian capital Abuja on May 5 between thegovernment and the biggest SLM faction led by Minna Arkou Minawi, who is from the Zaghawa tribe.
The AU had asked al-Nour and Khalil Ibrahim, the leader of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), to sign the peace agreement before May 31, but the deadline was missed.
Al-Nour said the agreement did not grant Darfurians a fair share of the political power and wealth in the region, insisting that a Darfurian should be appointed as the vice president of the country, which have been refused by the government.
“Since May 5, demonstrations have been taken place every day inthe Abu Shuk camp,” the biggest camp in the North Darfur state which is located about four km north of al-Fashir and houses some 50,000 refugees, Mohammed Salih Mustafa, director of the camp, told Xinhua in a telephone contact.
The demonstrators believed that the peace agreement failed to meet their basic demands and did not guarantee a safe return of the refugees to their villages, from where they had escaped because of the armed conflict which erupted in Feb. 2003.
In the coming days, the 15-member AU Peace and Security Councilis to hold a meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to consider the next steps, probably including sanctions against the Darfur rebel leaders boycotting the peace agreement.
Mustafa stressed that the security situation, however, in the camp was not worrisome and had not reach the degree of disaster.
“The security and political authorities know exactly how thesituation is in the camp,” said the official, adding that “theSudanese police and the civilian police forces sent by the AU areworking well to maintain the security for the refugees in the camp.” Repatriating some one million refugees and IDPs to theirhomelands is one of the main items in the Darfur peace agreement, and the local governments in Darfur’s three states have alsoadopted a program of repatriation.
But the work is facing a big challenge because of the positionsrefusing the peace agreement and the escalation of the tension in the region.
On Wednesday, Jan Egeland, emergency relief coordinator of the United Nations, warned that the world body should withdraw its aidworkers from Darfur unless their security is to be ensured.
Chairperson of the AU Commission Alpha Oumar Konare also said on Thursday that a progressive deterioration of the security situation had been witnessed in Darfur in the past few weeks, warning that future violations of the ceasefire agreement would not be tolerated.
The AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) should act proactively to fulfill all aspects of its mandate, including the right of self-defense and the protection of civilian population in danger, said Konare.
The AU official urged all the parties involved in the Darfur conflict to immediately stop any activity threatening the peace and give a chance for an implementation of the peace agreement.
(ST/Xinhua)