IDPs protest against Sudanese President’s visit to camp

Omar Hassan al-Bashir

President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan

President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan

UN-AU Mission (UNAMID) in Darfur said three people were killed and 26 injured in a protest against Friday’s visit of Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir to Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Darfur.

This happened in a clash between government forces and IDPs, who protested in South Darfur in rejection to a visit by al-Bashir to the camp, an official said in a statement.

UNAMID is deeply concerned about clash between government forces and IDPs residing at Kalma camp, South Darfur, which led to the death of three IDPs and 26 others injured.

“The incident reportedly occurred this morning after Government of Sudan forces dispersed a group of IDPs protesting against President Al-Bashir’s visit to South Darfur,” the statement added.

The mission, meanwhile, urged all conflicting parties to exercise utmost restraint, noting that it was doing everything it can to deescalate the situation.

“I call upon everyone involved in this situation to restore calm as soon as possible.

“A peaceful resolution of differences is the only way forward for the Darfuri people,” UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Jeremiah Mamabolo, said in the statement.

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A medical team from UNAMID is currently at Kalma camp assisting local authorities in treating the injured, the mission noted.

Kalam camp has been witnessing demonstrations by IDPs since Tuesday in protest against al-Bashir’s visit to the camp, which accommodates thousands of IDPs.

The Kalma camp was established in February 2004 in Bileil, some 15 km east of Nyala, the capital city of South Darfur State.

According to the UN World Food Programme and the International Organisation for Migration, Kalma, which accommodates 126,200 IDPs, is the biggest IDP camp in Darfur.

The IDPs started to arrive at the camp in 2004 to flee the fighting in Shattaya, villages in the southeast of Jebel Marra, as well as Mukjar and Murni in West Darfur State and areas around Netaiga.

The Sudanese authorities accuse the majority of Kalma IDPs of being loyal to the Sudan Liberation Movement, Abdul-Wahid Al-Nur, a major armed rebel group in Darfur which refuses to sign a peace deal with the Khartoum Government.

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