‘Model services complex’ to be opened in West Darfur

The Darfur Regional Authority, in cooperation with the West Darfur State government, has begun with the final arrangements for the opening of the “model services complex” in the village of Arara, located on the border between Sudan and Chad. The “model services complex” is part of the project “model villages for voluntary return”, agreed on in the 2011 Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. The project is implemented by the State of Qatar in the five states of Darfur. The Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commissioner of West Darfur, Mohamed Adam Ishag, stated to the press that the services complex, consisting of two secondary schools, for boys and for girls, 15 housing units, and a mosque, will contribute greatly to the stability of the region. “The project encourages the displaced in the Darfur camps, and the refugees in eastern Chad to return to their villages.” The head of the West Darfur State’s civil administration called the Arara complex, dubbed “the verdant Doha“, a most important beacon of the state. The resident engineer in the region said that the services complex will provide clean potable water to the area after the drilling of a number of wells is concluded. The official opening of the complex is scheduled to take place in mid July. Radio Dabanga reported earlier about the displaced of Darfur rejecting the idea of model villages. They want to return to their original villages after security is restored in the region. File photo: A Darfur village in 2004 (Mia Farrow) Related:More Ronga Tas displaced detained in Central Darfur (3 June 2014) More sheikhs arrested who reject West Darfur camp planning (14 February 2014) Sheikh arrested after West Darfur displaced eject ‘planning experts’ (5 February 2014)