UNAMID incident stirs up opinions across Darfur as culprits are still unidentified

Coordinators fear for Camp stability

Residents from the Internally Displaced Persons Camps across Darfur strongly condemned the killing of three and wounding of six UNAMID soldiers at Zamzam Camp on Monday. The coordinators of the camps of North, South- and West Darfur sent their condolences to the families of the deceased, and wished a prompt recovery to the wounded troopers. 

The camp coordinators called on the UN Security Council to apply the 17 resolutions issued for Darfur, and to grant UNAMID the full power to protect itself and Darfur civilians. Finally, they reiterated their disapproval of the attack, adding that “UNAMID should renew its commitment to responsibility, independence and neutrality”.

In Kalma Camp (South Darfur), people blame the soldiers’ death on the UN security Council’s failure to delegate enough power to the UNAMID to protect itself and the civilians. They believe the mission to be helpless and weak, and expressed their doubts regarding its ability to protect civilians, “let alone themselves”.The coordinator of the Zalingei Camps (West Darfur) expressed his concerns about the potential consequences of the incident in an interview with Radio Dabanga. He fears the government might use the attacks as a pretext to dismantle the camp and proceed with the annihilation of the displaced, and joined the Kalma Camps Coordinator in his call to the Security Council: “The UNSC should stop releasing statements condemning the situation in Darfur and proceed with immediate and concrete action to protect the civilians and Mission in Darfur,” he told Radio Dabanga

UNSC “strongly condemns” the attacks

In New York, the UN security Council strongly condemned the attacks on the peacekeeping forces: “An attack on international peacekeepers is a war crime and we will ensure that justice will be served. This deplorable incident will not deter UNAMID’s strong commitment to its mission to protect the people of Darfur,” Mr. Gambari said in a statement. The UNSC added that the deceased, which included two soldiers and one police advisor, were from Rwanda and Senegal, while the six wounded include five Rwandan and one Gambian.

North-Darfur Government accuses SPLM-MM

The Government of North Darfur blamed the incident on the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-MM), stating that the group’s Head of Intelligence Adam Mahmud was behind the attack. The Governor said in a statement that an armed group of Mini-Minawi soldiers had infiltrated six vehicles in the East of Jebel Marra and the West of Tabet, and targeted the UNAMID troop as it was patrolling 20 kilometers south of El-Fasher. He added that the group’s motive was to threaten the stability and security of the camp.

“Malicious and fabricated lies” SPLM-spokesman retorts

The SPLM-MM strongly denied the charges, calling them lies, and retorted that the Government and National Congress Party themselves were the most likely masterminds of the operation. Adam Saleh, the group’s military spokesman, explained that the SPLM would never target UNAMID forces, since they’re regarded as neutral, but would rather aim at government-affiliated military structures.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Mr. Saleh described the North Darfur Government’s claims as malicious and fabricated: “If we had indeed started an operation from the Jebel Marra area, it would have been to attack the government forces positioned in Tabet and Shangil Tobayi, not to target neutral UNAMID troops in a camp for displaced people,” he explained. “ Furthermore, the governor’s main suspect, Adam Mahmud, happens to be out of Darfur in the frame of a six-months mission; he therefore can’t have been behind the operation.” Mr. Saleh described the attacks as “an act of criminal conduct”, and promised the full cooperation of the SPLM-MM with UNAMID investigators in their search for the culprits.