S. Darfur State promises Kalma IDPs won’t be forced to move

Governor Abdel Hamid Musa Kasha, head of South Darfur State, said last week that the decision to transfer displaced people (IDPs) from Kalma Camp to another site does not mean that the residents will be forced to move to the new site. He said the government is committed to not forcing displaced people out of the camp.Kalma Camp has been home to approximately 100.000 Darfuris, a number that fell after a bout of violence in late July and early August, when up to 20.000 people are thought to have left the camp. The government has voiced concerns about militarization of the camp and crime. In an interview with Radio Dabanga last week, the deputy governor of South Darfur Abdel Karim Musa said “We are thinking about other alternatives for Kalma, in the form of three or four camps where we can guarantee the presence of police and provide security for the people.”

Aggravated by these plans, residents of Kalma Camp expressed frustration at the United Nations and the international community, accusing them of indifference. They said the displaced have been subjected to conditions of hunger and terrorism, mentioning the gunfire in the camp during the night. Camp leaders told Radio Dabanga that the UNAMID peacekeepers would bear responsibility if murders happen in the camp.