Darfur JEM say 4 IDP children die from malnutrition, criticize Qatar
By Wasil Ali
March 23, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), warned today that Khartoum’s expulsion of humanitarian groups is taking a toll on the vulnerable population within the IDP camps in the war ravaged region.
This month the Sudanese government asked more than a dozen relief groups in Darfur to leave the country after accusing them of collaborating with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its investigative work.
On March 4th the judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber I at the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture.
Aid groups say that it will be nearly impossible for the United Nations and the remaining aid groups to fill the void left by the evacuating workers.
JEM spokesperson Ahmed Hussein told Sudan Tribune that four children have died at the Shangil Tobaya camp in North Darfur over the last couple of days He disclosed their names as Esam Babiker Yacoub (3 years); Munir Mohamed Ibrahim (9 months); Maitha” Ahmed Musa (7 months); Abdel-Latif Hassan Gar El-Nabi (7 months).
“They died because of the severe shortage in food levels caused by departure of aid groups. There is also an alarming drop in water supplies which will increase the likelihood of mass disease outbreaks” Hussein said via satellite phone from an undisclosed location in Darfur.
The JEM official said that the foreign aid organizations that covered the camp were all evicted per Khartoum’s orders. He accused the government security agents of standing behind last week’s looting of a warehouse in Al-Salam camp owned by the expelled British Oxfam group in North Darfur.
Hussein said that the warehouse guard and another woman were killed during the armed attack.
“The government detained four camp leaders who notified UNAMID of the incident. All of them need to be released immediately and unconditionally” he said.
The JEM spokesperson warned that residents of IDP camps around EL-Geneina in South Darfur may soon be forced to cross borders into Chad in search for food.
“We will hold president Bashir personally responsible for the current situation and any deaths among our people that result from his decision” Hussein said angrily.
Asked about Darfur camp rejecting Sudanese aid groups from offering help, Hussein said that the IDP’s “made the right choice” saying that these are “undercover security agents
“A couple of those organizations are owned or administered by Bashir’s wives and relatives. The head of the Commission for Humanitarian Affairs Hasabu Abdel-Rahman is a security officer working on dismantling those IDP camps” Hussein claimed.
He also criticized the “complicity” of the UN Security Council (UNSC) in its response to expulsion of aid groups.
“The UNSC must intervene under a Chapter VII resolution to avert the imminent humanitarian disaster. Even if China and Russia block it the US and European Union (EU) must act unilaterally” the JEM official said.
“A No-Fly zone must be established over Darfur and we are prepared to secure the ground and provide safe corridors for humanitarian groups through which they can enter” he said.
But a US state department official told Sudan Tribune last week that there is nothing in the works with regard to a No-Fly Zone.
Hussein blasted the Arab League and African Union (AU) saying their positions on the aid group expulsion is “shameful”.
“They would not even utter a single word to condemn the decision by Sudan. How can they remain silent before an intentional campaign to starve the people of Darfur?” he questioned.
He reiterated JEM’s position on suspension of the Qatar hosted peace talks until Sudan rescinds its expulsion order.
“Make no mistake about it. There will be no return to the negotiating table until aid groups are allowed back. The expulsion decision in itself constitutes a violation of the agreement Khartoum signed with us in Doha which provides for facilitation of humanitarian flow” Hussein said.
“If Qatar wants to assert itself as an impartial peace broker they must publicly demand that Khartoum revokes their decision” he added.
Yesterday Qatar urged JEM to continue the peace talks it started last month with Khartoum despite the move against relief groups.
“They [Qataris] asked us to convey a message to the movement saying that we can protest the decision without halting the entire peace process” the head of JEM’s general congress Abu-Bakr Al-Gadi told Agence France press (AFP) yesterday.
Last month JEM and Khartoum signed a goodwill agreement in the Qatari capital, pledging to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the six-year conflict in the western Sudan region of Darfur but a date for the full blown talks has not been fixed yet.
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Namaa
Darfur JEM say 4 IDP children die from malnutrition, criticize Qatar
The death of Sudanese children is a grave and disturbing matter, and the issue needs to be addressed before more Sudanese children are lost to malnutrition, which is so easily cureable, specially when the Government of Khartoum’s food banks are full of grains and bursting with several seasons worth of harvest.
What is even more disturbing, is when JEM use this grave matter as a weapon of war, 4 children have died from lack of food, but how many have you killed by your guns…who launched the offensive onslaught in Darfur, who chose to take up weapons to ask for basic services, when you could have taken on the government through peacful channels, JEM did, JEM started the fire on the people of Darfur, JEM used propoganada war tacticts, JEM is refusing to sign any peace agreement and JEM is responsible for escalating the crisis in Darfur…..
tayeb M. Alhassan
Darfur JEM say 4 IDP children die from malnutrition, criticize Qatar
Namaa
We have talked too much about Darfur crises suggesting solutions but these people either never read or never understand. Time is running taking more lives of innocent people in the refugee camps but they don’t care or rather they exploit the disaster to market for their own objectives servicing further agenda imposed on them.
Request for No-Fly-Zone, Petrol for food and other disgusting Iraqi war terms already expired and unusable in Sudan for the administration inverted those terms already gone and the new administration in the White House not interested and much wiser to turn history on reverse mode.
If they really don’t act as ((puppets)) to prolong Darforeans suffering in service of others they have to opt for negotiations whether in Qatar or any place they suggest however they have to put behind any personal interests and act with self-denial, goodwill and determination to reach crises solutions for the wefare of the real agonized people in Darfur.
Logic
Darfur JEM say 4 IDP children die from malnutrition, criticize Qatar
I don’t have any sympathy for the rebel leaders nor the NCP because they are all equally responsible for the deaths in Darfur but for JEM to encourage the IDPs to refuse food from Khartoum aid agncies because they’re spies sounds to me like irony.
As the main reason cited for the expulsion of the aid agncies was because the NCP accusses them of being western spies. However, if you’re hungry? does it really matter who feeds you or would you be more concerned with being fed!! I would’ve thought…
So JEM is guilty of starving IDPs as much as the NCP is guilty of playig the power game.
If you want peace, you negotiate not attach conditions before you negotiate. You can attach your conditions to a final settlement not for having a conversation about how to stop the deaths.