Unprecedented conference held in Hamidiya camp

An unprecedented conference was held at the Hamidiya camp, North Darfur, with the main objective of unifying the opinion and positions of camps residents and refugees regarding the challenges they currently face in Darfur. The coordinator of Zalingei camps told Radio Dabanga that the conference took place between Tuesday, 30 October and Thursday, 1 November. He added that representatives of 53 camps, which amounted to 119 participants, were present at the meetings. According to him, challenges the displaced and refugees face in Darfur include the deterioration of security, attacks by the government and militias, attacks by allies of the so-called peace signatories and plots to dismantle the camps, which were all discussed during the conference. In addition, political, humanitarian, social and media issues have also been reportedly discussed during the conference. Most of Darfur camps’ representatives attended the conference, which was not publicly announced until its conclusion for security reasons, the coordinator explained. He also said that delegates that could not attend the conference, for security or distance reasons, participated in it via telephone. Voluntary return The camps coordinator told Radio Dabanga that delegates rejected the idea of voluntary return, which will only happen once some conditions are met. These conditions, he said, are: security, disarmament of militias, the restoration of their villages of origin (Hawakir) and the expulsion of new settlers, justice, and that all perpetrators wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) are brought to trial.   Participants also strongly rejected the ‘model villages’, as they grant ownership of Hawakir to the occupiers what will, therefore, change their demography and blur their identity. The international community was also mentioned during the conference by delegations, who ‘regretted’ it became the ‘core of problems in Darfur’, the source indicated. He said that the reasons for it are because the international community only recognizes people who represent themselves, such as the signatories of the Doha document and other elements that are now negotiating the agreement. They said these groups will not lead to any solution, but will actually increase the problems and suffering on the ground, and not bring peace to Darfur. Conclusions The main conclusion unanimously adopted by delegations at the end of the conference was the need to topple and change the current regime in Sudan, accused of committing crimes that led the president’s indictment by the ICC, the coordinator told Radio Dabanga. Delegations blamed the government for killing, displacing and raping women in Darfur and now also in South Kordofan, Blue Nile and in the rest of Sudan. In addition, the delegations agreed not to negotiate with the government of Sudan and to reject all partial agreements led by the Doha document, by the Liberation and Justice Movement (JEM) splinter group and all related conferences held in Nyala or in Doha. The conference’s delegates also recommended civilians to peacefully express their views regarding a change in the regime and of UNAMID’s peacekeeping mandate, ‘as there is no peace to keep’, the source reported. They suggested the Mission to become an international peace-making force so that it can protect itself, its members, civilians and humanitarian workers in Darfur, the coordinator added. Besides, participants advised the displaced to increase their solidarity and cohesion among themselves to defend their camps and to abort the ongoing plans to dismantle them, the source continued, as the camps are ‘living evidences’ of what took place in Darfur. Lastly, delegations reportedly accused the government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) of being behind the plans to dismantle displaced persons camps.   Doha meeting On a related note, the meeting on the monitoring of the implementation of peace in Darfur will be held in Doha on 12 November, according to the Minister of Infrastructure and Reconstruction at the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA). The participating parties will include the African Union, the Arab League, the United Nations and the European Union, as stated by Minister Tajuddin Nyam. He confirmed that the meeting will be the fourth of its kind since the signature of the Doha document and its aim is to follow-up on the implementation of the agreement. Nyam explained that Dr. Tijani Sese, head of the DRA, will present a detailed report about the implementation of the Doha document at the upcoming meeting.