Darfur displaced deny arms seizure from Kalma camp
July 31, 2008 (NYALA) — Darfur displaced representative denounced Sudanese government effort to close their camps in the troubled western Sudan dismissing statement on arms seizure inside Kalma camp, outside south Darfur’s capital Nyala.
South Darfur State authorities announced two days ago they seized large quantities of arms and ammunition inside the most volatile Darfur camps. The governor of the state Ali Mahmoud Mohamed said stocking weapons in the camps is in contravention with the international conventions.
According to the state officials, the arms seized included Dashek canons, 85 mm mortars, RPG, a Grinov machine-gun and a quantity of varied weapons and ammunition.
However, Hussein Abu Sharati, the representative of Darfur displaced and refugees, denied the existence of any weapons inside the largest displaced camp in Darfur. He also accused the state authorities of orchestrating this seizure to force the refugees to leave the camps.
“There are no weapons in Kalma (camp). This story is fabricated by the security service to have a pretext to entre in the camp in order to fright the IPDs and force them to leave the camp.” He told Sudan Tribune from inside the camp.
Abu Sharati also dismissed official statements that the police had entered in the camp, adding that the displaced protested against the government troops and forced the 55 vehicle of the security force to pullout from the camp.
“They tried during two days to get onto Kalma camp but they failed” he added.
The displaced spokesperson said that according to an agreement between the government, the UN and the displaced, the police have to meet the “Mashaykh” delegates and to coordinate their action with them. “But this time they didn’t inform any one.”
In November 2007, the police had threatened to use force to seize arms from the IDPs in Kalma camp. But the residents of the camp built road blocks to obstruct searches of the huge camp.
Aid workers said they were also 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.
(ST)