25000 residents fled from South Darfur camp after violence – UN
October 22, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Some 25,000 residents fled Kalama IDPs camp after clashes between pro and anti Doha peace process , the UN secretary general said in a report to the Security Council Friday.
Polarization among the internally displaced persons over the peace talks in Doha resulted in the killing of 35 IDPs last July, but also increased the tension among the IDPs in other settlements.
But in Kalma, one of the largest IDPs camps in Darfur, the attack raised fears, as the government militias target the camp regularly. The Sudanese authorities describe it as hideout of rebel supporters.
In his trimestrial report about the UNAMID activities, Ban K-Moon said the clashes pushed “at least 35 fatalities and the displacement of some 25,000 IDPs from the camp to Nyala and surrounding villages”.
He further added that some thousand of these IDPs sought refuge at the UNAMID community policing centre located next to Kalma camp.
Following July clashes, the Sudanese authorities surrounded the camp and blocked the hybrid peacekeeping force and the aid workers from accessing to the area. However, the UN chief said today they were allowed into the camp.
After the deterioration of security situation inside the camp between the pro-Doha and the anti-Doha, 4 IDPs delegates sought refuge at the UNAMID police center in the camp on 24 July and a woman joined them three days later on 27 July.
The Sudanese government demanded formally UNAMID to hand over the four men but New York still considers the request as it fears the repercussions among the Darfurians. It is aware of the bad image of the hybrid operation, particularly its failure to protect the civilians.
South Darfur authorities said planning to relocate the 100,000 resident of the camp to three different camps outside Nyala.
In August 2009 Kalma witnessed one of the most dramatic clashes between the residents and the Sudanese security forces where some 30 people had been killed and many others wounded.
UN agencies estimate more than 2.5 million people have been displaced, and more than 200,000 killed in the conflict in Darfur since 2003. The Sudanese government says no more than 10,000 people have died.
(ST)
Paul Ongee
25000 residents fled from South Darfur camp after violence – UN
Why IDPs are divided into pro-and-anti Doha? The Sudanese who claims to be Arabs are simply playing negotiation game not peace talks. How can you organize a negotiation team from the IDP’s camp to pose as representative of the rebels negotiating with Khartoum. This would certainly generate polarization among the IDPs. Military campaign against the positions of the rebels around Jebel Marra is just designed to force Abdel AL-Nur and Khalil Ibrahim to show up in Doha for the fake peace talks backed by the Arab League (AL).
The good thing about this Khartoum’s negotiation game is like the story of an elephant that breaks branches of tree without knowing that it would be smoked upon. The time is coming for Khartoum to realize that it did nothing to bring peace through fake negotiations, military or political campaigns not only in Darfur but also in the whole country. Instead it best facilitated further disintegration of the biggest country in Africa.