North Darfur displaced: ‘Transitional Sudan govt must prove credibility’

The Sheikh of Kassab camp for the displaced in Kutum locality, North Darfur, has welcomed Prime Minister Hamdok’s expression of concern for the displaced and marginalised, but cautions that peace cannot be achieved without involving the armed movements.

Sheikh Taher Ismail was referring to remarks made by Hamdok during an interview with Radio Dabanga in Paris on Monday, in which the PM paid special attention to the displaced and marginalised in Sudan.

“If peace does not address the situation of displaced persons and refugees, we do not consider it peace”, Hamdok said. “We will not settle, unless we put an end to the suffering of the displaced and refugees.”

Sheikh Ismail linked this to the credibility and seriousness of the transitional government in achieving the peace process with the armed movements, as well as addressing the issues of displaced persons and refugees, security, lands, hawakeer (lands traditionally used by tribal communities), and voluntary return, prosecution of perpetrators of Darfur crimes, and the elimination of marginalisation.

He told Radio Dabanga that the displaced people and refugees want peace, and do not advocate war or discrimination: “Their hearts and minds are open to peace”.

The Sheikh called for “providing political will, seriousness, credibility, confidence-building, and not to repeat the experience of the deposed regime, which lost credibility in the hearts of the people, due to its lies and deception and the lack of credibility in the implementation of all the agreements signed.”

Sheikh Ismail stressed that the displaced and refugees will not be neutral, spectators, or sceptical, but “will be at the forefront as participants and contributors to the construction and development of Sudan, once the transitional government proves its credibility and seriousness in the peace process, and ensure the implementation of its clauses on the ground.”

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