UNAMID says kidnapped peacekeepers are unharmed

April 16, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – A deputy head of the hybrid mission (UNAMID) said he spoke today with four abducted peacekeepers five days after their kidnapping at few kilometers outside the capital of South Darfur.

“We spoke to our staff today by phone,” UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative Mohamed Yonis said on Friday. “They reported to be unharmed. We are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of our peacekeepers.”

Declared missing, the four South African police advisers in fact have been abducted by People’s Democratic Struggle Movement (PDSM) a splinter group of a former rebel faction, SLM-Free Will while they were returning to their private residences on Sunday 11 April.

However the PDSM leader said one of their commanders who had not been informed on an agreement they concluded two days before the abduction with the Sudanese authorities. The group had some differences with the government.

However a PDSM spokesperson told the AFP they meant to kidnap the peacekeepers to demonstrate that security conditions in the restive Darfur do not allow holding elections.

“We want one billion Sudanese pounds (400,000 dollars) but that is not the most important. We want to show the international community that security conditions in Darfur do not allow for elections,” said Ibrahim al-Dukki who was speaking by telephone.

All Darfur groups signatory or not for peace deals with the government asked to postpone the electoral process and to resolve the seven year conflict before. However, the SLM- Minni Minnawi faction is mobilizing its supporters in the IDPs camps to participate in the elections.

Yesterday Pretoria government said they are doing efforts to ensure their quick and safe release. We wish to assure the South African public that we will pull out all stops to bring them home soon,” said the South Africa’s Department of Defense said in a statement.

(ST)