More sheikhs arrested who reject West Darfur camp planning
The security apparatus in West Darfur have detained five sheikhs of Murnei camp for the displaced people in Kereinik locality because of their total refusal of the Darfur Regional Authority’s (DRA) decision to restructure the camp. One sheikh was beaten while in detention. Sheikh Khamis Allajabo was tortured after he was tied with shackles, then released and arrested again before he arrived at his house. The other sheikhs have been detained for a week or three days, displaced people of the camp told Radio Dabanga. “The sheikhs and residents of Murnei camp are abused by security and police forces through arrests, threats, beating and verbal insults to force us to accept re-planning the camp”, the sources told. “We are living in a bad humanitarian situation.” Security forces already arrested the head of the Kanjarde district of the Murnei camp for the displaced in West Darfur, Sheikh Khamis Ishag Abdel Moula, on 5 February, after camp residents expelled a group of urban planning experts from El Geneina.One of the sheikhs told Radio Dabanga: “We are staying here temporarily, not forever. If there is real peace, disarmament of militias and prevalence of security in the region we will return to our villages of origin.“ Delegation meets Unamid Another activist from the camp revealed that a delegation of sheikhs and administrators of the camp met with the UN and AU mission in Darfur (Unamid) on Thursday at the premises of the Humanitarian Affairs Commission in Murnei. They explained their reasons for rejecting the re-planning and stressed the issues facing the displaced people, including food, water, health and education. The activist told that Unamid had promised them to raise their case to the administrative leadership of Unamid in El Fasher. Sirba camps In the beginning of January, the government’s Humanitarian Affairs Commission (HAC) of the Sirba locality told the sheikhs of Sirba camps that the locality does not recognise the camps any longer. “The camps have become quasi-towns, while the residents are all farmers,” the commission told the sheikhs. File photo: Unamid meets with sheiks in Murnei camp, near El Geneina, in 2010 (Albert Gonzalez Farran / Unamid) Related: Sheikh arrested after West Darfur displaced eject ‘planning experts’ (5 February 2014) Displaced of Murnei camp in West Darfur arrested (17 January 2014)
The security apparatus in West Darfur have detained five sheikhs of Murnei camp for the displaced people in Kereinik locality because of their total refusal of the Darfur Regional Authority’s (DRA) decision to restructure the camp. One sheikh was beaten while in detention.
Sheikh Khamis Allajabo was tortured after he was tied with shackles, then released and arrested again before he arrived at his house. The other sheikhs have been detained for a week or three days, displaced people of the camp told Radio Dabanga.
“The sheikhs and residents of Murnei camp are abused by security and police forces through arrests, threats, beating and verbal insults to force us to accept re-planning the camp”, the sources told. “We are living in a bad humanitarian situation.”
Security forces already arrested the head of the Kanjarde district of the Murnei camp for the displaced in West Darfur, Sheikh Khamis Ishag Abdel Moula, on 5 February, after camp residents expelled a group of urban planning experts from El Geneina.
One of the sheikhs told Radio Dabanga: “We are staying here temporarily, not forever. If there is real peace, disarmament of militias and prevalence of security in the region we will return to our villages of origin.“
Delegation meets Unamid
Another activist from the camp revealed that a delegation of sheikhs and administrators of the camp met with the UN and AU mission in Darfur (Unamid) on Thursday at the premises of the Humanitarian Affairs Commission in Murnei. They explained their reasons for rejecting the re-planning and stressed the issues facing the displaced people, including food, water, health and education. The activist told that Unamid had promised them to raise their case to the administrative leadership of Unamid in El Fasher.
Sirba camps
In the beginning of January, the government’s Humanitarian Affairs Commission (HAC) of the Sirba locality told the sheikhs of Sirba camps that the locality does not recognise the camps any longer. “The camps have become quasi-towns, while the residents are all farmers,” the commission told the sheikhs.
File photo: Unamid meets with sheiks in Murnei camp, near El Geneina, in 2010 (Albert Gonzalez Farran / Unamid)
Related:
Sheikh arrested after West Darfur displaced eject ‘planning experts’ (5 February 2014)
Displaced of Murnei camp in West Darfur arrested (17 January 2014)
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