Refugees and displaced people refuse the proposed 250 dollar for return

The refugees and displaced people unanimously refused the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars which is to be paid to every family to ease their return back to their homes and the sum of three hundred dollars as an advanced payment for the compensation fund which was suggested by the last Doha document. Omda Atim, the coordinator of camps in North Darfur said that they refuse the two hundred and fifty dollar amount, even if it was to be given to them as individuals and said that they will not agree to any amount or compensation if they do not participate in deciding how much is to be paid.

From their side, the refugees refused the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars to every family and the amount of three hundred thousand dollars to be paid in advance for the compensation fund. Abu Bakr Hamid, a leading figure in Farchana camp in Eastern Chad said that the compensation issue came too early and that the priority should be given to disarming the Janjaweed and kicking the people inhabiting their lands out and then the bringing together all the factions and movements for negotiations with the participation of representatives of refugees and displaced people to decide on the return and compensation money.

In Doha, Dr. Tijani Sisse, head of the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) said that the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars for the families displaced and in refuge was an advanced payment according to the document presented by the mediators in Doha and was for personal aid to every family desiring to return back to its home and has no relationship with the compensation money. During the program Frankly Speaking which is to be aired today on Radio Dabanga, Tijani confirmed that the two hundred and fifty dollar sum had nothing to do with the compensation money which. The first estimation, which is three hundred million dollars, is for personal aid to those who want to return back to their areas and also does not include transport fees, which will be funded by the UN and other organizations.

Dr. Sissy El Tijani, the head of the Liberation and Justice Movement stated that the document presented by the mediators to the negotiating sides in Doha is not the final Darfur peace document but a proposal by the mediators for the sides to state their opinions on and present it to the mediators on Saturday and, based on it, the mediators would decide their next step. Tijani appealed to the refugees and displaced people through Radio Dabanga to participate in the Darfur Civil Societies’ Conference in Doha this month to state their opinion and ways to end their suffering and the suffering of all the people of Darfur.