Darfur displaced say Sudan planning to dismantle camps
November 23, 2007 (NYALA) — Darfur displaced dismissed Sudan government statements that weapons in displaced camps have fuelled crime; they further accused Khartoum to planning to dismantle camps.
Hussein Abusharati, the spokesperson of Darfur IDPs, dismissed to Sudan Tribune reports that IDPs in Kalma camp, southern Darfur, have weapons in the camp. He accused Sudanese government of planning to dismantle the camps before the deployment of the AU-UN troops in the region.
“The government of the National Congress Party threatens to arrest and torture the displaced alleging that they have illegal weapons in the camp, but international community should know they disseminate such false report to have a pretext to penetrate the camp and commit a new genocide.” Hussein said.
Police have threatened to use force to seize weapons from displaced in Kalma camp. The threat has already started to spread panic among residents of the camp, said aid groups who added they were worried the seizures might provoke violent clashes or a mass exodus from the settlement.
Sources in the United Nations in Sudan said they were aware of a police notice addressed to the African Union mission in the area and had been holding meetings to discuss it with the AU peacekeeping mission in the area.
The displaced spokesperson said they have no weapons “if we have it we would not remain IDPs and homeless but we would become fighters.” He pointed out that this entire story is “false and fabricated by the government; and all the concerned institutions in Darfur know that very well.”
He also said that they expect the attack of the police at any time.
The document gave Kalma residents three days from Wednesday to hand in weapons kept inside the camp.
Yesterday aid workers said they were worried the clampdown was part of a wider plan to close down Kalma and split up its population. Kalma is one of the largest and most volatile camps in the region.
More than 2.5 million Darfuris have been driven from their homes to take shelter in camps like Kalma by more than four years of violence, say international experts.
(ST)