Darfuris demand compensation, distrust government
By Nima Elbagir
KALMA CAMP, Sudan, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Villagers who fled Arab militias who looted and burned their homes and crops demanded compensation on Sunday before they would agree to leave a camp in Sudan’s remote Darfur to make the long trek home.
The huge Kalma camp for internally displaced people in Southern Darfur state shelters just under 150,000 African villagers who fled attacks by Arab militias known as Janjaweed.
Despite international pressure for cooperation between the government and rebels to ease the plight of civilians in the impoverished region, tensions among victims of the fighting run high and distrust of the Sudanese government is deep.
“The government that says it is safe is the same government that killed us,” said Abdel Karim Juma’a Khalifa, who arrived in the camp 2-1/2 months ago.
“The people who killed us were wearing fatigues and army boots,” he added.
After years of low-level conflict between Arab nomadic tribes and African farming communities over dwindling resources, rebels took up arms in February 2003, accusing the government of helping Arab militias known as Janjaweed to loot and burn African villages in a campaign of ethnic cleansing.
Khartoum denies the charge calling the Janjaweed outlaws.
The U.N. says about 200,000 refugees who fled the violence are encamped in Chad, more than a million others have fled their homes within Darfur, and up to 50,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Sudan has less than two weeks to prove to the U.N. Security Council that it is serious about disarming the Janjaweed and making it safe for displaced people to return to home, or face possible sanctions.
Many villagers said they were promised compensation for their losses when they arrived in the camps and would not budge until they received it.
One man estimated his losses including a lost peanut crop, horsecart and burnt shell of a house was worth $14,208.
“I want my right. If they do not compensate me I will not return. I want what’s mine,” said a woman who identified herself only as Manna.
“Do they want us to go back and die? They killed my children and stole my cows. Where is the security?”
MISTRUST OF ARAB VILLAGERS
The mistrust extends to Arab villagers who had previously lived among their African-speaking neighbours. Some of the people in Kalma say they will no longer live alongside Arab tribespeople.
“Even if the government disarm those who did this to us, we know who they are. The people who killed us, we grew up with them,” said al-Hajj Abdel Mowla Yehya, 45.
“Those people must no longer live with us. They must be taken away,” he said.
One Arab who fled the fighting was stabbed and beaten to death when he took refuge in Kalma last week and some hinted the attack may have been fuelled by revenge.
“This man, some people said they were positive that he was there when their village was burnt — that he took part, and they became angry,” said Mohamed Adam Mohamed in Kalma.
But most of the displaced people’s anger and distrust was reserved for the government.
“This government that tells us it is safe. This is the same government that was always there,” said Mohamed, who is from Sani Delaiba, one of 12 points Sudan has pledged to make a safe area.
Even when told by Reuters witnesses who visited his hometown earlier that people had returned to Sani Delaiba and there had been no attacks, he said: “We are not convinced.”
One old man refused to give his name but shouted: “Who is this talking about returning? If you are a president and you send planes to bomb your own people then you are a traitor.”
“Let the … officials come and stand among us and tell us to go home then they will see what we have to say,” he said angrily.