UNAMID, security forces invite Darfur camps’ leaders for meeting

UNAMID, security forces and the commissioner of Tawila locality invited representatives of three North Darfur camps for a meeting on Monday to discuss the “humanitarian and security situations the displaced face”. The talks, held at UNAMID’s headquarters in Tawila, were attended by 100 sheikhs and omdas of camps Argo, Dali and Rwanda, sources told Radio Dabanga. During the summit, camps’ representatives lodged a list of demands to the Commissioner Mohamed Ahmed Abdullah, who agreed to discuss them with North Darfur state authorities. In their demands, displaced asked for the provision of security, for the end of attacks by pro-government militias, that armed groups are denied entrance in camps, and for the opening of a police station in the vicinity so that charges can be pressed and criminals are arrested. They also demanded the opening of a popular court that comprises representatives of all 21 tribes of Tawila “to solve any problem displaced persons may face”. In addition, camps leaders asked for the provision of teachers, and that humanitarian organizations are allowed to distribute food and medicine in the area. The latter, they said, should be also distributed in health centers so that doctors can perform surgeries. Displaced also requested that the security services provide them larger amounts of fuel so they can operate machines in their farms and refine grains.    A source claimed that the security services normally provide very limited amounts of fuel to the displaced in fear the product may be passed on to rebels or stolen by them. Lastly, sheikhs and omdas requested that training camps for the recruitment of displaced to join the popular police forces are not established in the area. These officers would be responsible for guarding the displaced who would voluntarily return to their areas of origin. Voluntary return was one of the topics discussed in the Nyala conference for displaced and refugees earlier this month, established within the framework of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). Last week, in a meeting with the commissioner, sheikhs and omdas had already announced they fully rejected the idea of the “militarization of displaced persons”.Radio Dabanga file photoRelated: Darfur camps’ leaders reject ‘militarization of displaced’ (25 April 2013)