Border guards threaten to torch West Darfur camp
Government-supported militiamen have threatened to burn down a camp in Kereinik if its residents do not pay blood money for a family member killed almost 30 years ago.
Militiamen supported by the government have threatened to burn down a camp for displaced people in Kereinik locality in West Darfur if the residents do not pay them a large sum of money.
A witness explained that a border guards leader and several members claimed that residents of camp Um Tojok killed his son in 1986, for which they now demand blood money, totalling SDG 115,000 ($19,370). The son of leader Azirig Kody had stolen cows in the camp at the time, and was allegedly killed by a rescue team the residents had assembled, the witness said.
The people have informed the State Deputy-Governor Abu El Gasim Baraka about the threats by the border guards. According to the witness, he has not intervened to resolve the problems yet. The inaction prompted one of the traders in the area to pay SDG 26,000 ($4,380) in advance.
The camp residents received an ultimatum to pay the remaining blood money to the guards before Saturday.
The primary role of the Border Intelligence Guards is to monitor and gather information in the border area, mainly in Darfur. Members of this unit are recruited from the local population.
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