SLM-Abdel Wahid confirms abduction of 32 Darfurians and expects their release soon

UPDATE BREAKING NEWS – The rebel movement of SLM-Abdel Wahid al Nur has confirmed to Radio Dabanga that it has abducted 32 Darfurians moving to a peace conference in Nyala. The people have been taken to an unknown location within the Jebel Marra area (Central Darfur). The outraged Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) blamed the government and UN for lack of protection while heading for the conference.The convoy was moving on Sunday 24 March from Zalingei to Nyala escorted by the UN-peacekeeping mission UNAMID. The military spokesman of SLM-Abdel Wahid Mustapha Tambour told Radio Dabanga that his rebel movement “arrested” the people “because they were almost all security people pretending to be IDPs”.He told Radio Dabanga that he has evidence, documents and ID-cards of the people that proves that the people were not genuine IDPs but “betrayers”. He denied that the action was against the human rights of targeting innocent civilians. SLM-AW spokesman Tambour stated that he will provide all the evidence to Radio Dabanga soon proving that the abducted people were not IDPs but security agents. According to the SLM-AW, the Darfurians were traveling in three buses from Zalingei (Central Darfur) to Nyala escorted by armed UN-peacekeepers. They were supposed to take part in a UN-sponsored conference today and tomorrow in Nyala to discuss the situation of IDPs. UNAMID said the cars were stopped at 6:20pm, but Mustapha Tambour of SLM-AW said they stopped the buses at around 3:30pm on the Arga crossing point and Kass locality, a border area between Central Darfur State and South Darfur State. “We told the people of UNAMID that we were representing the SLM Abdel Wahid al Nur. We explained that we were taking the people because they were not civilians or IDPs but security people working for the government of Khartoum. That is why we arrested them. We don’t want them to deceive the people of Darfur pretending that they are IDPs, while they are security agents. We will take care for these people and we will release them soon. We took all their documents, ID-cards and other evidence”, Mustapha Tambour told Radio Dabanga. He did not say where the 32 people were taken in custody. Amongst the abducted people are eight women. The statement of the Abdel Wahid-faction of the SLM confirms the earlier statement by the governor of Central Darfur, Yousif Tibin, accusing the rebels of the kidnapping. He told Radio Dabanga that the rebels will not be able to stop the conference. The conference is organized under the auspices of the Darfur Regional Authority. UN Condemnation UNAMID condemned the arrest and said that despite its “opposition” the military group forced the IDPs to an unknown location. It is unclear which military unit was involved in the arrest. The government of Sudan refrains from any comment. UNAMID confirmed the incident and says that on 24 March, at around 6:20pm, three commercial buses carrying 31 IDPs were stopped by a large unidentified armed group in military uniforms and seven jeep-mounted guns. UNAMID says it had been receiving conflicting reports of the situation of the IDPs.UNAMID says its peacekeepers and assets are safe, but it has been unable to contact the IDPs to independently verify their situation. According to the spokesperson, “The Mission is sparing no effort to ascertain the current situation of the IDPs, who were on their way to attend the IDPs and Refugees’ Conference. At the request of the Darfur Regional Authority, UNAMID was escorting the IDPs as part of it support to this important event that is being held on 25 and 26 March 2013. UNAMID condemns this incident and stands ready to escort the IDPs to the Nyala Conference and to provide any other assistance”. IDPs outraged The Darfurians displaced people are outraged. On their behalf, spokesman Hussein Abu Sharati told Radio Dabanga that the government of Khartoum, the Darfur Regional Authority and the UN are to blame. “Everyone knows that the security situation in the area is poor. We always complain about the security. They insisted to have this conference, although it does not come at a convenient time and we initially refused even to come. If they ask us to come for a meeting and the UN provides armed escort, but still we get arrested how can we ever trust the government and the UN?”. (Will be updated, Photo: File VOA-news)