Darfur displaced dismiss UN-AU monthly death figures

May 3, 2009 (NYALA) – A prominent figure among the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Darfur criticized statements made by the African Union-United Nations joint envoy in Darfur saying that violence in the war-torn region has subsided substantially.

Speaking before the UN Security Council, Rodolphe Adada said last Monday that some 130-150 people were dying each month due to violence in Darfur, versus the tens of thousands who were killed in 2003-2004. The number includes civilians, fighters and peacekeepers themselves, he added.

Yet people in the camps are still dying every day as result of the ongoing violence said Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesperson of Darfur displaced, who slammed the statement made by the joint representative and head of the UN peacekeepers in Darfur, known as UNAMID.

“We have a minimum of 160 deaths every month and 56 women raped this month of April. This month also we have 136 people detained by the security forces,” said Hussein Abu Sharati, referring to the displaced. The spokesperson further said they collected their information from all the IDPs camps.

He added that water shortages, cholera and polio outbreaks have affected the IDPs since the eviction of the aid groups — though the figures cited by Adada had only counted violent deaths.

Adada’s remarks had already provoked a reaction from a rebel leader serving under the Sudan Liberation Army command of Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur, who said that Darfuri civilians had handed a letter to the SLA founder declaring that they would not deal with the UN peacekeepers unless Adada retracts the report.

Rebels warned that UNAMID personnel would not be allowed into “liberated areas” until a retraction and apology were made.

Likewise, Abu Sharati today added that they decided to not cooperate with the UNAMID. He urged the UN and the African Union to replace Adada by another official. “We request the UN and the international community to give the necessary attention to ensure the protection of the displaced population there,” he said in Darfur by phone.

Nevertheless, the UNAMID spokesperson Noureddine Mezni had stood by the data, saying it was comprehensive.

Abu Sharati also urged Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur to not engage in talks with the government unless the government and its militias definitively stop violence and attacks on the civilians.

Sudan has more displaced people than any other country in the world. According to a report released Friday by the Norwegian Refugee Council, during the year 2008 the country had 4.9 million or about one in eight of the population, more than half of them in Darfur.

(ST)