Death threats against outspoken North Darfur Omda
Pro-government militias have publicly threatened to kill Omda Musa Moktar of Rwanda camp for the displaced in Tawila locality, North Darfur on Saturday if he does not leave the camp forever. Omda Moktar has been outspoken about the abuses and crimes of militiamen, and opposes efforts by the militias to ‘guard’ the market of Tawila. The threat was made at a special meeting to re-open the market that was closed for about a month. The meeting was attended by 100 militia members and the Commander of the Central Reserve Forces (CRF), Abdul Rahim Hussein Abdullah. Omda Moktar told Radio Dabanga: “The Commander of the CRF told me at the meeting ‘we don’t want you here’. He then called me on the phone to tell me I am persona non grata in Tawila and have to leave the area. On Saturday, I received threats that I would be killed if I do not leave Tawila.” Omda Moktar confirmed that he would not leave Tawila. “I will stay here and continue to speak-out against injustice, even if I have to die here.” He stressed that the displaced will never accept the militia guarding the market, but that it should rather be guarded by the police and the regular army. The threats against the Omda have been widely condemned. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesman for the Association of Displaced People and Refugees of Darfur appealed to the UN Security Council, the international community, and Unamid to intervene urgently. “It is Unamid’s mandate to provide protection to all the displaced of Darfur,” he said. “There can be no peace in Darfur in this security climate, and it is the responsibility of the Commissioner of Tawila locality and the Governor of North Darfur to ensure the personal safety of leaders such as Omda Moktar. The omdas of Tawila have called on the international community, and Unamid in particular, “to fulfil its mandate and provide protection for Omda Moktar and all the displaced of Darfur.” File photo: Displaced vendors in Tawila locality, North Darfur (Albert Gonzalez Farran / Unamid)
Pro-government militias have publicly threatened to kill Omda Musa Moktar of Rwanda camp for the displaced in Tawila locality, North Darfur on Saturday if he does not leave the camp forever. Omda Moktar has been outspoken about the abuses and crimes of militiamen, and opposes efforts by the militias to ‘guard’ the market of Tawila.
The threat was made at a special meeting to re-open the market that was closed for about a month. The meeting was attended by 100 militia members and the Commander of the Central Reserve Forces (CRF), Abdul Rahim Hussein Abdullah.
Omda Moktar told Radio Dabanga: “The Commander of the CRF told me at the meeting ‘we don’t want you here’. He then called me on the phone to tell me I am persona non grata in Tawila and have to leave the area. On Saturday, I received threats that I would be killed if I do not leave Tawila.”
Omda Moktar confirmed that he would not leave Tawila. “I will stay here and continue to speak-out against injustice, even if I have to die here.” He stressed that the displaced will never accept the militia guarding the market, but that it should rather be guarded by the police and the regular army.
The threats against the Omda have been widely condemned. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesman for the Association of Displaced People and Refugees of Darfur appealed to the UN Security Council, the international community, and Unamid to intervene urgently. “It is Unamid’s mandate to provide protection to all the displaced of Darfur,” he said. “There can be no peace in Darfur in this security climate, and it is the responsibility of the Commissioner of Tawila locality and the Governor of North Darfur to ensure the personal safety of leaders such as Omda Moktar.
The omdas of Tawila have called on the international community, and Unamid in particular, “to fulfil its mandate and provide protection for Omda Moktar and all the displaced of Darfur.”
File photo: Displaced vendors in Tawila locality, North Darfur (Albert Gonzalez Farran / Unamid)
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