Sudanese lawmakers rap Defense Minister over Darfur insecurity
April 10, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese minister of defense Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein accused rebel movements of seeking to destabilize Darfur and undermine the International Donor Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Darfur (IDCRDD) that concluded this week in Doha, Qatar.
Hussein defended the performance of the army in the Darfur battle zones stressing that the SAF is working to protect cities whereas rebel groups only seek to rob and loot.
The top military official said that the SAF suspended military operations in Darfur and stepped up its efforts to secure commercial trucks going to the capital city of South Darfur because police forces were no longer able to protect commercial convoys on their own.
“We were able to secure 700 trucks loaded with fuel and food and when we got ready to resume military operations, we were asked by state authorities in South Darfur to secure other convoys so we stopped military operations for the second time”, he said suggesting that his forces in South Darfur were stretched thin as a result.
He went on to say that the army will block rebels from Abga Rajil area in South Darfur and accused rebels of planning attacks on capital cities of South Darfur, North Darfur and West Darfur.
Hussein complained about low salaries for soldiers which he said makes them reluctant to sacrifice their lives particularly in light if growing gold exploration opportunities emerging before underscoring that they will fight until “the last man standing”.
But the defense minister nonetheless expressed confidence about the imminent demise of the rebels as a result of Sudan securing its borders with South Sudan, Chad, Libya, and Central African Republic.
MP Samira Al-Mak, in response to Hussein’s testimony, accused pro-government militias of wreaking havoc and using weapons against ordinary people in Darfur, citing violent events which took place in Jabal Amer as evidence, saying that war continues to claim lives of innocent people in Darfur.
The defense minister acknowledged problems caused by pro-government militias but assured that there are plans to overcome issues related to them.
MP Ahmed Hajana, on the other hand, directed scathing criticism to Hussein saying that his statement omitted rebel attack on Goja area in North Kordofan state where they seized 5 Four-Wheel trucks and 26 barrels of fuel and freed prisoners after storming the jail.
Hajana further claimed that the area is void of government troops presence while rebels continue to carry out looting.
“We will bear arms in order to protect the area because rebels robbed us four times within 5 years” he warned.
Last month the Sudanese 1st Vice President Ali Osman Taha said that Khartoum will make changes in Darfur governments in response to growing security concerns in the restive region.
Darfur has been a flashpoint for lawlessness and violence since rebel movements took up arms against the Khartoum government in 2003.
The United Nations estimates as many as 300,000 people have been killed and almost 3 million people have been displaced during the ongoing conflict in the region, however, the Sudanese government put the number of dead at only 10,000.
While violence is down from its peak in 2003 and 2004, new fighting has forced more than 130,000 people to flee their homes since the start of the year, according to the United Nations.
(ST)