Rebel group releases census workers arrested in Darfur
May 20, 2008 (LONDON) — A Darfur rebel group announced today the release of census taker that it had arrested during the fifth national census operations in southern Darfur.
Mahgoub Hussein the spokesperson o f the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Unity-Command said in a press statement received by email today that the release of census staff comes after the request of “the Canadian government envoy” who met him in London.
The SLM-Unity declared on May 2, the arrest of 13 census enumerators led by Hassan Ali Daw albitt in Shairiah, south Darfur. However in today’s statement Hussein spoke about the release of 11 census takers.
Darfur rebel groups, which had demanded postponement of census till the signing of a peace deal, expressed they opposition to the ongoing census operations in Darfur. Rebels said they do not trust the outcome of the census because millions of Darfuris are displaced while Khartoum plans to count new Arab immigrants recently arrived from neighbouring countries.
The Sudan population and housing fifth census started on April 22 and lasted to May 6, 2008.
Hussein also said that his group would transfer “all military operations to central Sudan including Khartoum”. He demanded civilians to avoid “sensitive area” and “military ceremonies and Carnivals.”
He also called for an international investigation on the mass arrest and killing of innocent Darfuris in Khartoum after the attack carried by the rebel Justice and Equality Movement against the Sudanese government in the capital on May 10.
(ST)