Darfur rebels call for probe in UN chopper crash
September 30, 2008 (LONDON) — The armed opposition Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) today called for an international investigation of the cause of a United Nations helicopter crash, alleging that the Sudanese security service is behind the crash.
On September 29, a Mi-8 helicopter contracted to carry food supplies for the UN African Union mission in Darfur crashed near Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp shortly after its takeoff from Nyala. Sudanese authorities accused the rebels of shooting the plane.
Ahmed Hussein Adam, the spokesperson of the rebel JEM accused the Sudanese security service of shooting the Russian helicopter and attributing the responsibility of the attack to the rebels.
The Russian foreign ministry said today that it is initiating an investigation, since three of the four crewmen who died in the crash were Russians.
Adam further said that the security service is preparing the ground to “commit new atrocities in IPDs camps.” According to the rebel official, Khartoum has sent additional security units to implement a plan aiming at dismantling the IDPs camps in the region.
“This is a dangerous plan and we are expecting them to commit new crimes,” he said
On Monday August 25, Sudanese troops clashed with the displaced population inside Kalma. The armed forces killed 31 people, according to the UNAMID. “30 of the victims were killed by gunshots while a woman fell to her death in a ditch, while attempting to flee the shooting,” the hybrid mission said.
The Sudanese authorities justified the raid on Kalma camp by claiming to have received reliable intelligence about weapons smuggled recently into the camp which is at a strategic position because of its proximity to the Nyala airport and railways.
At the time, camp leaders firmly denied the presence of any weapons. They pointed out that Khartoum is planning to dismantle the largest IDPs camp in Darfur, adding if they had weapons at least some of them might dare to use it against the assailants.
Ahmed said such allegations could only be used by Khartoum to neutralize the joint peacekeeping mission when security forces start to forcibly relocate the population of the camps.
Kalma camp is the home to 90,000 people. Government offices were torched and officials expelled from the camp in 2005. The camp which is the largest in Darfur is located near the airport and its existence reminding massive atrocities committed against civilians.
Different Sudanese officials including the President Omar Al-Bashir himself have said that the IDP camps in Darfur must be closed.
(ST)