SLM leader appeals Chad’s president to not expel Darfur refugees
February 11, 2008 (PARIS) — Darfur rebel Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur has appealed the Chadian President Idriss Deby to not expel Sudanese refugees recently arrived following Sudan’s army attack on rebel position in West Darfur.
“I appeal on the President Idriss Deby to not send these innocent people who have succeeded to escape to the ethnic cleansing practiced by the Khartoum regime.” Abdel-Wahid said. He added that Chad is the unique country which opens its doors to receive these refugees who are victims of “Khartoum terror”.
Al-Nur further said “By virtue of neighbourhood and kinship, the President Deby must not expel these people.” He added “if they are forced to return home at this juncture that means their lives will be at risk.”
He said the Sudanese army and its militias killed around 300 civilians among them there were 60 Childs
Following the last week attack in the towns of Abu Surouj, Sirba and Suleia, located in a remote area north of el-Geneina close to the Chad border, different estimations circulated but no exact figure has been sorted out. A UN team arrived in the areas today to assess the number of victims.
The U.N. refugee agency has said they have found around 12,000 Darfuri refugees who fled the attacks which began on Friday in eastern Chad. Rebels say the entire population of 200,000 have fled. But Sudan’s army said many had come home in the town of Sirba.
(ST)