Commissioner threatens to arrest camp sheikhs

The commissioner of Wadi Azum in West Darfur, Abu Elgasim Siwar, has threatened to arrest the sheikhs of Ronga Tas camp, if they reject the plans for reorganization of the camp, Radio Dabanga has learned on Monday November 12. A camp activist told Radio Dabanga that the commissioner of Wadi Azum locality visited the camp on Monday, accompanied by a team of the security services and an urban planning survey team. The activist disclosed that the commissioner announced, during a meeting held in the camp with the sheikhs, that he ordered the survey team to begin their research within the next two days. He added that the commissioner reportedly threatened to arrest anyone who opposes the planning. The activist said that the residents reject the reorganization of the camp because they were forcibly displaced from their villages and their presence at the camp is only temporary, adding they will return to their areas of origin whenever conditions permit. He continued that the commissioner imposed a fee of 35 Sudanese Pounds for registration of one plot of land and another fee of 170 SDG after ratification of the plot. Also, the activist pointed out that camp houses around 37,000 displaced persons from the areas of Dar Karney, Dar Taboula, the activist added to Radio Dabanga from Ronga Tas camp. On the other hand, the activist said that the commissioner of Wadi Azum issued a decree on Sunday on the dismissal of a number of employees of a partner organization of the national organization Suha. He added that no reason was given for the dismissal, explaining that the organization is a non-governmental organization providing food and medicine to children, he added to Radio Dabanga from Ronga Tas camp.