Armed militia attack on IDP camp in Southern Darfur

On 29 June 2006, in the early morning, unknown men armed with JM3 machine guns and Kalashnikovs attacked Kalma internally displaced camp in Nyala killing one person and injuring two others. The details of the victims are as follows:

Haroun Salmani, (50 yrs), Fur tribe, employed as a watchman for Care International Water Pump in Sector 7, attacked at 02:00am. Mr. Salmani was shot whilst he was sleeping, he died instantly.

Adam Musa Adam, (65 yrs), Fur tribe, resident at Sector 7, attacked at 01:00am The armed men stole Mr. Adam’s bicycle and shot him in left foot. Following the gunshot, IDPs in sector 7 found three empty shells and two full cartridges which have been handed over to AMIS. Mr. Adam is currently receiving medical treatment at Nyala hospital.

Ramadan Abdel Karmia Mohd, (22 yrs), Fur tribe, resident at Sector 7, attacked at 02:00am. Mr. Mohd was shot in his left shoulder and received injuries to his left hand. Mr. Mohd is currently receiving medical treatment at Nyala hospital.

SOAT strongly condemns the continuing terrorisation of the civilian population in Darfur by armed militias and calls on the government of Sudan to immediately implement its obligations as agreed in the DPA. The continued targeting of the vulnerable IDP population at night by armed groups undermines one of fundamental principles of the DPA namely “To ensure that civilians are not subjected to violence, intimidation, threats and forced displacement” (Article 23(217)).

SOAT recalls article 27(315) of the DPA which requires the GoS to “restrict all Janjaweed/armed militia and PDF to their headquarters, garrisons, cantonment sites or communities and take and take other steps to contain, reduce and ultimately eliminate the threat posed by such forces.”, furthermore article 27 (317) states that “GoS, with support from AMIS, shall take all other steps required to completely eliminate the threat posed by Janjaweed/armed militia to the civilian population….”

SOAT is gravely concerned about the continued attacks on civilians in Southern Darfur with impunity. In light of continuing instability and attacks on civilians despite the DPA, the N’djamena Ceasefire agreement, and UNSC resolutions, SOAT calls on the government of Sudan to rein in its public rhetoric on its rejection of UN peacekeepers to the region. SOAT calls on the AU Peace and Security Council, the UN and the wider international community to:

– Agree to the rapid deployment of UN Peacekeepers with a chapter 7 mandate �to Darfur as stipulated in resolution 1679;

– Immediately provide both political and financial support to AMIS to ensure the mission is capable and able to effectively fulfil the protection role of its mandate in the transitional period before the UN takeover through the provision of:

i. Satisfactory protection provisions including to resume the provision of armed escort for women and girls venturing outside IDP camps,

ii. Fulfil its functions as stipulated in the DPA particularly verifying and monitoring the disarmament of the Janjaweed militias and other militias;

iii. Continue to place pressure on the various armed groups to sign the DPA and the Declaration of Commitment to the DPA to sign the peace agreement.

SOAT is an international human rights organisation established in the UK in 1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information, please contact us:

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