Injured camel sparks militia-displaced stand-off in West Darfur

Armed militiamen have threatened to kill a displaced person from Sirba camp in West Darfur, or to invade and plunder the market, unless the displaced pay them SDG20,000 ($4,500) compensation for an injured camel. A spokesman for the Sirba displaced, Mohamed Yahiya, told Radio Dabanga that the pro-government militiamen found one of their camels with a broken leg. “They then demanded the compensation. The Sheikh of the displaced offered to pay them SDG3,000 ($680) but they refused, threatening to kill one of the displaced, or invade and loot the market, unless the full SDG20,000 is forthcoming.” Yahiya appealed to the authorities to intervene to resolve the matter. As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, tensions have risen between farmers and armed herdsmen during the planting season, with farmers complaining of armed militiamen grazing camels and other livestock on their farms, and threatening them at gunpoint if they confront them.File photoRelated: ‘North Darfur planting season failing due to grazing livestock, shortages’: farmers (7 August 2013)‘Herdsmen graze livestock on Darfur farms at gunpoint’: farmers (31 July 2013)Concerns of farm failure for displaced in Central Darfur (30 July 2013)