30 militiamen storm Kalma Camp, South Darfur
Around 30 militiamen on horseback, wearing military uniforms, stormed into Block nine of Kalma camp for the displaced, at 9am on Tuesday morning. They entered the camp, located near Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, on the pretext that six of their cattle had been stolen and that the thieves had hidden them in the camp. According to witnesses the militiamen beat anyone they saw in the Block with whips, which prompted residents of the camp to hurry towards Block nine. The camp administration, however, reacted immediately and informed Unamid who moved quickly to separate the attackers from the residents. When the militiamen then seemed to prepare themselves to attack the Unamid troops, residents rushed to the police at Bielel to request them to intervene. The same witnesses reported that Unamid withdrew and the police did not come until 6pm. So it was left to the camp administration to settle the problem with the militia leaders and to agree on payment as compensation for the stolen cattle, in order to avoid further bloodshed. The witnesses said that the camp administration collected an amount of SDG4,000 among the camp residents. After the money had been handed over to the militiamen, they left the camp and settled near the camp, apparently waiting for the remaining amount. The spokesman for the Association of Displaced Persons and Refugees of Darfur, Hussein Abu Sharati, described what happened as a ‘deliberate scheme’, fabricated by the authorities and the militias to create disturbances and dismantle the camp. “The payment has been the camp administration’s decision and not the decision of the Association which is holding a different opinion.” Abu Sharati also expressed his fears of new attacks in case the remaining amount is not paid, since the militiamen are still present close to the camp. Yet the camp residents now categorically refuse to pay the rest of the amount, considering the compensation of the stolen cattle not their responsibility. The Association’s spokesman appealed to Unamid to intervene and set up patrols in order to protect the people. File photo by Albert González Farran/Unamid Related: Darfur displaced appeal to Unamid for protection from militias (16 September 2013)
Around 30 militiamen on horseback, wearing military uniforms, stormed into Block nine of Kalma camp for the displaced, at 9am on Tuesday morning. They entered the camp, located near Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, on the pretext that six of their cattle had been stolen and that the thieves had hidden them in the camp.
According to witnesses the militiamen beat anyone they saw in the Block with whips, which prompted residents of the camp to hurry towards Block nine. The camp administration, however, reacted immediately and informed Unamid who moved quickly to separate the attackers from the residents.
When the militiamen then seemed to prepare themselves to attack the Unamid troops, residents rushed to the police at Bielel to request them to intervene.
The same witnesses reported that Unamid withdrew and the police did not come until 6pm. So it was left to the camp administration to settle the problem with the militia leaders and to agree on payment as compensation for the stolen cattle, in order to avoid further bloodshed.
The witnesses said that the camp administration collected an amount of SDG4,000 among the camp residents. After the money had been handed over to the militiamen, they left the camp and settled near the camp, apparently waiting for the remaining amount.
The spokesman for the Association of Displaced Persons and Refugees of Darfur, Hussein Abu Sharati, described what happened as a ‘deliberate scheme’, fabricated by the authorities and the militias to create disturbances and dismantle the camp. “The payment has been the camp administration’s decision and not the decision of the Association which is holding a different opinion.”
Abu Sharati also expressed his fears of new attacks in case the remaining amount is not paid, since the militiamen are still present close to the camp. Yet the camp residents now categorically refuse to pay the rest of the amount, considering the compensation of the stolen cattle not their responsibility.
The Association’s spokesman appealed to Unamid to intervene and set up patrols in order to protect the people.
File photo by Albert González Farran/Unamid
Related:
Darfur displaced appeal to Unamid for protection from militias (16 September 2013)
and then