Opposition accuse Khartoum of ‘unequal treatment’ of Darfur displaced

The National Consensus Forces (NCF), which include the main opposition parties in Sudan, have criticised the Khartoum government, civil society organisations and local media for their “deliberate disregard” of the humanitarian catastrophe among the displaced in Darfur. The NCF have also warned of the “divisive effect” of Khartoum’s “selective policy” when dealing with the displaced. As reported extensively over the past weeks by Radio Dabanga, inter-tribal fighting and clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and armed rebel movements have forced thousands of people to flee their homes and villages. They are especially flocking to Nyala city camps where, since January their number has swelled to more than 300,000, according to the latest UN report released this week. “There is lots of attention for the displaced persons of Abu Karshola, Umm Rawaba and Al Rahad in North and South Kordofan, however, they make as if there are no other persons displaced from their homes in Sudan,” NCF spokesman Kamal Omar Abdel Salam said in an interview with Radio Dabanga on Saturday. “The selectivity policy with which the National Congress Party disregards the plight of the displaced of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan, while providing ample aid to the displaced of Abu Karshola, Umm Rawaba and El Rahad, is prompting claims of tribalism and racism,” Salam continued. “All displaced persons in Sudan should be provided with relief equally, and in a speedy manner.” Salam warns about “the mentality of racism and ethnicity with which the Khartoum regime handles the situation”, stressing: “This is the primary cause of the current situation facing our country. There should be no difference between Sudanese displaced”. Salam made an appeal via Radio Dabanga to all organisations including the UN to urgently intervene in assisting all the displaced in Sudan. “The Khartoum regime depends on discrimination as an extremist approach. This requires that we speed-up the overthrow of the regime to maintain Sudan’s unity and cohesion.” In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Dr Mariam Sadiq Al Mahdi, a leading figure in the National Umma Party, has termed the government’s exclusive focus on the displaced in and around Umm Rawaba and El Rahad only, while ignoring he displaced in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile as “scandalous”. “Khartoum is perpetuating a policy of ‘divide and rule’, stirring-up hatred between citizens of the same homeland,” he said, stressing that “the government’s accusation that SRF is behind the suffering of the displaced persons poses a threat to social cohesion and reconciliation among the community. “In this context, the Khartoum government is directly responsible for all citizens in any region in Sudan,” Dr Al Mahdi said. She lamented that the government was “waging war on citizens in Darfur, exercising murder and rape and causing them to become displaced.“Khartoum’s selective focus constitutes a major threat, not to the future and the unity of Sudan but also poses a threat to social cohesion and reconciliation in the community,” she said. “This opens the door to unprecedented policies in Sudan such as assassinations.” Dr Al Mahdi called on all Sudanese to stand united against the policies of the National Congress Party “which is working to break-up the country”. Pictures: NCF spokesman Kamal Omar Abdel Salam (left); Dr Mariam Sadiq Al-Mahdi of the National Umma Party (right).Related: South Darfur ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ as rainy season approaches (15 May 2013)           Media highlights plight of Darfur displaced ‘but government ignores us’ (16 May 2013)           UN: more than 300,000 Darfur displaced in five months (16 May 2013)