Chad, UN to boost security in Darfur refugee camps

NDJAMENA, Aug 31 (AFP) — The Chadian government and the UN’s refugee agency on Tuesday reached a deal aimed at increasing security around camps sheltering some 200,000 refugees from Sudan’s strife-torn Darfur region.

Under the agreement, 180 extra security agents will be trained and deployed from September 1 to safeguard 10 refugee camps in eastern and northern Chad.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will cover the agent’s salaries and operational budget, according to the text of the agreement, obtained by AFP.

“The agents… will ensure that no armed person gains access to the refugee camps and that any person suspected of being a fighter be isolated from civilians,” the text said.

The security forces “will seize all weapons in circulation, maintain order and protect humanitarian staff, infrastructure as well as the supplies of the World Food Program (WFP) and goods belonging to the UNHCR amd other partners”.

Both parties pledged to ensure that refugees are informed of “their duty to abstain from any political activity liable to threaten the security of other refugees or the local population.”

The camps concerned are located in the regions of Waddai and Wadi-Fira in the east and Borkou Ennedi Tibesti in northern Chad.

An estimated 200,000 people from Sudan’s western Darfur region have been forced to flee into neighbouring Chad by fighting between the government, backed by its Arab militia allies, and two ethnic minority rebel groups.

According to the United Nations, a total of 1.4 million people have been driven from their homes in Darfur since the fighting started in February last year, while between 30,000 and 50,000 have been killed.