Darfur rebels and UNAMID to discuss humanitarian cooperation this week

March 20, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Darfur peacekeeping operation (UNAMID) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur next Tuesday will discuss means to enhance joint cooperation in the areas of humanitarian action and civilians’ protection in the restive region.

Following the displacement of civilians as a result of attacks by the Sudanese army against rebel positions since the end of last year, the SLM rebels said earlier this month that they want to discuss the protection of civilians with UNAMID and how they can help the mission to implement its mandate in this regard.

The hybrid operation said in the past it was denied access to the areas controlled by the Sudanese army and SLM rebels particularly in Jebel Marra. However the UNAMID chief, Ibrahim Gambari, for the first time visited positions held by the Sudanese army and SLM rebels.

“The Joint Special Representative (JSR) Gambari will meet in Kampala with a high level delegation of our Movement led by Chairman Abdel Wahid Al-Nur next Tuesday,” said SLM spokesperson Abdel Rahman Nimir in statements to Sudan Tribune on Sunday. The meeting will discuss ways to provide humanitarian assistance to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and their protection, he added.

During a visit to Fanga Suk village, in East Jebel Marra (West Darfur), 88 km from Tawilla, on March 18, the civilians received Gambari with banners urging him to protect them from the rape and aerial bombing. He also met with rebel delegation led the SLM deputy commander in chief Mohamed Adam Abdel Salam “Tarada”.

Nimir further said that they also hope to organize another meeting in the future between the peacekeeping mission and the SLA commanders on the ground to tackle practical steps to enhance their cooperation on the humanitarian and security aspects.

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan (UNHCR) said more than 70000,00 thousands people have arrived to the IDPs camps in Darfur since December 2010. The majority of the new IDPs arrived at the Zam Zam IDP camp near the capital of North Darfur, El Fasher.

UNHCR head, Mr. Georg Charpentier, who visited newly displaced populations on 17 March, called for expanding the reach of humanitarian assistance beyond main IDP camps.

He said it is important to deliver humanitarian assistance where it is needed and reiterated that every efforts are being made to broaden the reach of relief to these areas, and “not only concentrate on already overstretched IDP camps like Zam Zam”.

UN experts say 300,000 have died and 2.7 million been driven from their homes since rebels took up arms against Sudan’s government in 2003, accusing Khartoum of neglecting the region’s development. But Khartoum says 10,000 have died.

(ST)