Unamid urges collaborative approach to arms collection in Darfur camps

In a press statement on Saturday, Unamid called on the Sudanese authorities to coordinate the search of illegal weapons in the Darfur camps for the displaced with the UN-AU peacekeepers.

The statement is a reaction to the “show of force” by armed government forces in the Kalma camp near Nyala, capital of South Darfur, on Thursday. They entered the camp to carry out weapons collection campaign.

“Unamid peacekeepers on the ground during the incident reported that more than 100 government military vehicles, including trucks with mounted weapons and armoured personnel carriers, briefly entered parts of the camp,”the statement reads.

“While Unamid acknowledges the significance of the ongoing arms collection exercise, it regrets the entry by the Government forces to Kalma camp was not coordinated with the mission to avoid any potential tension and violence”, said Unamid Joint Special Representative, Jeremiah Mamabolo.

“We call on the government and the displaced to work with Unamid in a collaborative way in order to advance the weapons collection campaign.”

Unamid concludes its statement by stating that it will continue “to engage with government authorities and Kalma displaced camp leaders in accordance with its protection of civilians mandate”.

Concerns

Yagoub Furi, coordinator of the Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association told Radio Dabanga on Thursday that the large column of government forces crossing the camp raised the concerns of the displaced of what is coming.

The leaders of the Association called on the international community to act urgently to protect the displaced by giving Unamid a full mandate to keep them safe.