Sudan’s defence minister visits Darfur to assess security situation
August 6, 2008 (AL-FASHER) – The minister of Defence heading a high ranking delegation has begun today a visit to the three states of the troubled Darfur to assess the needs and to study ways to restore security in the western Sudan.
The government delegation includes Engineer Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, Minister of Interior, General Salah Abdallah Gosh, director of the National Security and Intelligence Services, Hasabou Mohamed Abdullah Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs as well as the Deputy Chief of Joint Staff and a number of officials from ministries of defence, interior and humanitarian affairs and national security service.
Maj-Gen Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein leading a security delegation arrived on Wednesday to the capital of North Darfur, two weeks after the visit of the Sudanese president who pledged to achieve peace and restore the authority of the government throughout the war-torn region.
Hussein told reporters in El-Fasher he discussed with the security committee in the state ways to protect the roads between the three states and between them and the center as well as measures taken to ensure the movement of people and transportation safely within every state.
The minister further said the delegation discussed the situation in IDPs camps and how to provide security to their camps as well as the issue of voluntary repatriation and peaceful coexistence.
Also, the delegation discussed the protection of the NGOs and international agencies working in the region.
The minister said that the delegation has inspected the cooperation between the armed forces, other security forces and the hybrid peacekeeping mission. He further added that they discussed needs of the different parties to ensure the efficient functioning and to enable them to implement the rule of law and to maintain the security in the three states.
The Sudanese president, during his speech in El Fasher on July 23, admitted that there were crimes committed in Darfur and injustice. But he added that the government wanted to provide security and stability.
“Yes, we all know there are problems in Darfur and we all know that there are injustices that took place in Darfur but we are from the first day we were keen to provide security for all the people of Darfur and achieve stability” he said.
African and Arab organisations advised the Sudanese government to work swiftly to improve security situation and to engage seriously peace process with the rebel movements in order to help their efforts to counter the application of an arrest warrant for Bashir filed on July 14 through the U.N. Security Council.
The security delegation will hold similar talks with the concerned authorities in West and South Darfur states.
(ST)