UNAMID attempting to mediate at Darfur Zamzam, Kalma camps
By Daniel Van Oudenaren
September 18, 2008 (WASHINGTON) — The hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur is stepping up efforts to avoid bloodshed at Zamzam camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), where allegedly five people were shot and two abducted by Sudanese police forces on Sept. 10.
“The purpose of their meeting was to avert a possible clash at the Zamzam IDP camp,” stated UNAMID. Government forces have indicated that they intend to flush out what they term “illegal armed operatives and other criminal activities in the camp,” according to UNAMID.
Government officials announced a similar search for weapons caches at Kalma camp in South Darfur in late August, leading to an attack Aug. 25 that killed an estimated 30 people and wounded at least 65. The camp was also raided in Oct. 2007, leading to a confrontation between government and SLA-Minawi forces.
Minawi dismissed government claims about weapons in Kalma camp in an interview with Sudan Tribune Aug. 27. “These are civilian camps. The people who were killed are civilians; innocent children, women and elders. Clearly they cannot be fighters.” Minawi also criticized UNAMID for being “absent.”
In order to minimize tension, the peacekeeping mission is planning for an additional meeting among GoS, SLA/M and local communities leaders—Sheiks and Umdas.
Minawi was the only rebel commander to have signed a peace agreement with the government in May 2006, although many of his commanders, terming themselves “SLA-Unity,” continued to fight. Minawi’s own relations with the government have since soured as well.
SLA-Unity forces clashed with government forces to the southwest of Zamzam multiple times over more than a week, according to separate reports.
In South Darfur, UNAMID made a diplomatic effort in Kalma camp on Tuesday, following up discussions that had taken place between IDP leaders and Principal Deputy Joint Special Representative Henry Anyidoho.
The delegation was headed by the mission’s Chief of Civil Affairs Wariara Mbugua, who was accompanied by Acting Head of Office Ali Hassan and humanitarian liaison officers.
Meanwhile, two armed men broke into an international aid agency’s compound nearby in Safia area south of Nyala town, injuring a guard and stealing two cars, according to UNAMID.
UN experts estimate some 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million have been driven from their homes since 2003. Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.
(ST)