Zalingei and Rango Tass camps to boycott IDP conference

Leaders of the three displaced camps in Zalingei are boycotting the conference organised by the Darfur Regional Authority at the end of this month. The representatives believe the main objective of the conference is to create rifts between the Darfuri community and accuse the government of inviting them to carry out targeted assassinations and arrests against camp leaders that do not support the Doha peace agreement or government plans. The leaders do not trust the role of the UN/AU Mission in Darfur in the conference saying the government is using UNAMID to implement the Doha document regardless of objections from displaced people. If there are more security problems at the camp following the conference they will blame UNAMID and the Liberation and Justice Movement, a rebel group that disarmed and signed the Doha peace agreement with the government last year, for colluding with the government against them. They call for prioritising security across the camps, disarming the militias that continue to terrorise Darfuris and arresting president Bashir and the officials responsible for crimes in the area.’Not enough security’Displaced people in Rango Tass camp also rejected the invitation to the IDP conference, saying there ia currently not enough security on the ground to guarantee their travel to the event. Representatives also told Radio Dabanga they think the conference may give authorities the opportunity to arrest camp residents and punish them for being against the Doha agreement. If they travel to the event successfully, this may prove the point to the Darfur Regional Authority that the conditions are right for displaced people to start thinking about returning to their villages. They said they will not be sending any representatives as they do not trust the Doha document which they claim was drawn up without their consent and is being enforced from above.