Displaced: Sudan president speech inside camp ‘an insult’

The coordinator of North Darfur camps called the visit of Sudan’s president to the state and his scheduled speech inside the Abu Shouk camp “an insult and a provocation”, stressing the displaced are the victims of the 10-year long war in the region. “Killing the victim and walking to his funeral”, Omda Ahmed Ateem told Radio Dabanga when comparing the president’s journey with a common proverb. President Omar al-Bashir is scheduled to travel to El-Fasher, Atina and Al-Tiwaisha next Wednesday and Thursday, 6 and 7 March.   The omda is urging Abu Shouk’s population not to receive the president, despite possible intimidations or threats by authorities and by the security services. Meanwhile, North Darfur’s governor announced he welcomes the visit of the Sudanese president to the state, amid wide negative reactions the publication of the event sparked among rebels groups last week. Darfur rebels groups told Radio Dabanga al-Bashir’s visit will not go “smoothly” and urged civilians not to come near the towns he will travel to.Nasreddin Baggal Siraj, the commissioner of El-Fasher locality, announced that “all technical and administrative arrangements to receive” the president are completed.Photo: displaced camp (Radio Dabanga file) Related: Sudan president visit to Darfur sparks wide negative reactions (1 March 2013)