Darfur IDPs protest in support of SLM leader position
August 11, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Thousands of Darfur people demonstrated yesterday in Darfur to protest against the outcome of Arusha meeting. The protesters affirmed their support of the demand of a rebel leader requesting deployment of international peacekeepers before talks.
Tens of thousands of Darfur Internally Displaced Persons in North and South (IDPs) staged a protest on Friday upon the arrival of UN envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson. The demonstrators condemned Arusha meeting, affirming that Darfur peace would not be realized through Abuja or Arusha negotiations but through of participation of all of the Darfurians.
In a memorandum submitted to Eliasson, the displaced asked for the necessity of implementing the UN Security Council resolution (1769) related to the Hybrid Operation. They demanded the deployment of the peacekeeping force on the ground as soon as possible in order to ease the delivery of relief, return of the displaced to their villages. Also they urged to present responsible of Darfur war crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The IDPs told the UN envoy that no peace in Darfur without the leader of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdelwahid al-Nur, Al-Ayam news paper reported.
Al-Nur refsued to take part in the rebel meeting organized in northern Tanzania city of Arusha. He demands that Khartoum commits its self to a ceasefire signed in 2004 and the deployment of international peacekeepers in Darfur.
The official spokesperson of the refugees and displaced people in Darfur, Hussein Abu Shartay, told Al-Ayam newspaper that the displaced people staged demonstrations in North and South Darfur states. He added that the demonstrators handed Eliasson a memorandum asking for the deployment of the UN forces and handing over of the perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Darfur to the ICC.
Hussein explained that the displaced people who are more 22,000 in Kalma and Atash camps in Southern Darfur State condemned Arusha meeting, pointing out that the issue of Darfur could not be solved through Abuja or Arusha meetings but through participation of all people of Darfur and all movements’ leaders including Abdelwahid Mohamed al-Nur.
Hussein told Al-Ayam thatthe displaced accused the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of dismantling the rebel groups in order to remove some of them from the issue. “We told Eliasson that the NCP is, with the help of African Union, dismantling the revolutionary movements through supporting some of them and exploiting others to put an end for the Darfur issue,” he said.
Hussein asserted that the displaced people support views and principles of the Sudan Liberation Movement under the chairmanship of Abdelwahid al-Nur, adding there would be no peace without him. He stated “We informed Eliasson that we are behind Abdelwahid and he is the only one who asks about us and he is the one who defends our rights so, Darfur crisis can’t be resolved without him.”
Representatives of rebel groups met in Arusha earlier this month. The purpose of the AU-UN sponsored meeting is to define a common position for Darfur’s rebels ahead of peace negotiations with Khartoum.
(ST)