Kalma displaced reject South Darfur housing plans

The residents of Kalma camp, near Nyala, capital of South Darfur, denounced the state Governor’s announcement of housing projects for the displaced on Tuesday. Their places of origin have been taken over by new settlers. The Governor intends to house the displaced in other areas.
Yagoub Mohamed Abdallah, the coordinator-general of the Darfur camps told Radio Dabanga that in a meeting between Kalma camp leaders and Governor Adam El Faki, the latter said his government is seeking to implement a housing project at the camp site, similar to the one planned in neighbouring Kass locality.
“El Faki intends to grant the more than 160,000 displaced in Kalma camp about 3,000 residential plots in Kass and, after re-planning of the Kalma camp itself, around 10,000 plots at the camp site. He said that we cannot return to our areas of origin, as new migrant groups have settled there. This is unacceptable of course.”
The coordinator said that the Kalma camp displaced had hoped that the new Governor, appointed in June, would initiate alternative policies, “but unfortunately he is following the steps of those who preceded him”.
“Further, it seems that there are people living in Nyala who claim to represent the displaced and speak with the authorities on their behalf,” he complained.
Abdallah accused the South Darfur Governor of “using the weapon of bribing and setting up people against each other, to carry out his plans for the camps in the state”.
On the occasion of the Eid El Adha (Muslim Feast of the Sacrifice) last week, Governor El Faki announced that the year 2016 will witness the transformation of all camps for the displaced in South Darfur into planned villages, that will enjoy all services to be provided by his government.