‘Mass demonstration’ in W Darfur camp against militias’ ‘abuses’

Residents of a West Darfur camp staged a mass demonstration on Tuesday against “threats, violations and abuses” by pro-government militias who are “supported” by authorities. The protests were triggered after Murnei’s population was pressured to pay blood money (diyya) for two men allegedly killed by a displaced.Families of the victims are asking for a total amount of 750 million Sudanese pounds for the dead (375 SDG for each; equivalent to $85mi). According to previous reporting by Radio Dabanga, this would be the highest amount ever requested for blood money or ransom, as claimed by a source. Guilty Murnei’s sheikh confirmed that a displaced was guilty of killing one of the men and injuring the other.He said two residents of Murnei repulsed a militia attack on their way back from Tulus, 10 kilometers south of the camp, where they had been shopping on Monday.One of the displaced snatched the Kalashnikov of one of the aggressors, killing one on the spot and injuring the other.The family of the wounded insurgent claimed he died later of gunshot wounds at the hospital.The displaced man reportedly turned himself over to the Murnei police and confessed the crime.Not pay On Tuesday, the sheikh met with relatives of both victims, along with the locality’s commissioner and members of the security services.He asserted Murnei’s residents would not pay any blood money as the perpetrator is currently in custody and will be held accountable for what he did. As a result of the sheikh’s decision, pro-government militias surrounded the camp and attacked several of its neighborhoods.Militants arrived in cars, motorbikes, horses and camels and threatened to invade and burn the camp unless its population paid the blood money, according to the sheikh.Especially western areas as Sulmah, Salam Ghrab, Al Imtidad and Kanarti were targeted, what prompted several displaced to flee to Murnei’s city center and to the police station. Mass demonstration Meanwhile, Murnei’s residents staged a mass demonstration denouncing “threats, violations and abuses” by pro-government militias, who they claim, are supported by authorities.They also condemned UNAMID and its “failure” to protect them and endorsed the sheikh’s decision not to pay the diyya. Sources said the protesters, holding white weapons such as sticks, batons and whips, shut down shops, barricaded roads and closed down all gates of the camp preventing the militias from entering the site. “Not succumb” The association of displaced persons and refugees of Darfur appealed to all displaced in the region not to succumb and pay diyyas or “protection money unjustifiably imposed” by militias. Hussein Abu Sharati, the association’s spokesman, said that if the displaced are innocent, they must defend themselves “even if it leads to their death or to the burning of their camps”. Blackmail and threats must be stopped and perpetrators must be discouraged to continue imposing fees on the displaced, he said.Radio Dabanga file photoSee also: Darfur displaced poll: ‘militias abuses a policy of Sudan regime’ (21 March 2013)