South Darfur wali’s speech ‘a declaration of war against displaced’

Yagoub Furi, the chair of the Darfur Displaced and Refugees Coordination, considered the speech of the governor of South Darfur, in which he announced his determination to dismantle Kalma Camp for displaced people, one of the largest camps in Darfur, as “a declaration of war against the displaced” and warned that this approach would lead to rebellion against the government.

Furi described Governor Adam El Faki's speech as irresponsible and unreasonable.

He said in an interview with Radio Dabanga to be broadcasted on Thursday that he was surprised by the governor's demand of the displaced not complain to Unamid when subjected to violence, theft and occupation by new settlers.

Furi who is one of the wanted described the governor’s speech as a blatant threat to displaced people and their leaders, and deplored the governor's attempt to force the displaced people to return to their villages of origin without protection from militias.

Furi confirmed that there is no a voluntary return without providing security and services.

He explained that displaced persons who had returned to their villages were subjected to killings, violence and robbed by militias.

He pointed out the killing and wounding of 11 people returning to Haras area by the militias, including a number of Omdas and notables.

Furi said that the dead were Omda Abdelmanan, Jibril, Abdelrahman and Adam Ahmed, while the wounded were Omda Jibril Mahmoud, Mohamed Yagoub, Mohamed Adam, Awad Zayed, Ahmed Mohamed, and Abdallah El Nour.

He reported that more than 400 returnees to an area of ​​ Hijeir Tongo area for farming have inversely returned to the camps because of the lack of security.

Furi said on Tuesday one of the returnees was shot dead in the head at Hijeir Tongo and another was wounded by the militia amid the continued rape of women who prefer to remain silent for fear of shame.

He called on the government to stand on the number of displaced people who have been subjected to acts of killing and violence upon their return to their villages. Furi also called on the governor to identify the violations, attacks and killings of voluntarily returnees to the areas of Kialik, Tarbo and Haras by the militias.

He expressed surprise at the governor's speech that the government is not responsible for providing security to any person who rides cart to collect firewood and his calling on the people to secure themselves.

Furi considered that a clear back off from the government’s responsibilities towards its citizens and returnees.

He appealed to the international community, the United Nations and the Security Council to address the threats in the camps and the villages of voluntary return and lack of security

He stressed that the governor's threatening to dismantle the camps of Kalma and Kass until the end of this year, his threatening to arrest Furi and eight others and flogging them that they are not afraid of intimidation and threats.

Furi denounced the governor's speech about the presence of weapons in the camps and expected the goal of government forces of searching of camp Kalma to be for the arrest of the leaders of the displaced people.

He expressed confidence in the people of the camp to defend their leaders.

Furi described the mentality of the governor as a mentality similar to the mentality of 2003 that caused the current situation in Darfur.

He held the governor the responsibility for subjecting any displaced or returnee to any harm.

He said “There is no person or entity that can force us to return to our original villages in the absence of security, calling on the governor to respect the citizens and the displaced”.

Furi described the governor's speech as lacking logic.” He said demanding provision of security and services is legitimate not a crime.

These demands belong to the displaced and have nothing to do with the armed movements, he said.

He stressed that no displaced would return without security and services.