UN-African Union official meets with leaders of troubled Darfur camp for displaced

A senior official with the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur today met with leaders of a restive camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the war-torn Sudanese region.

Deadly violence broke out in recent months in Kalma camp between those supporting and those against the Darfur peace process under way in Doha, Qatar.

The site was home to an estimated 82,000 IDPs before the outbreak of fighting.

During their meeting today with Margaret Carey, Acting Deputy Joint Special Representative for the mission, known as UNAMID, the sheikhs noted that security, food, health care and education are the camp’s most pressing needs.

Ms. Carey expressed the mission’s willingness to help resolve problems peacefully.

“We will work together with the IDPs and the Government to improve security and improve the lot of displaced persons,” she said.

The UNAMID official also held talks today with the Deputy Wali, or Governor, of South Darfur state on how to mobilize their mutual support to bolster security and stability in the region.

She later presided over a ceremony where school supplies, donated by a Nigerian battalion serving with the mission, were presented to a primary school within Kalma camp.

UNAMID was established by the Security Council in 2007 to protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million forced from their homes since violence erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and their allied Janjaweed militiamen.

UN officials have warned that the humanitarian situation in Darfur has worsened this year due to resumed clashes between Government troops and rebels, as well as stepped up tribal fighting. The situation has been aggravated by continued attacks on UN-AU peacekeepers and abductions and mistreatment of UN staff and aid workers.

The security of civilians in Darfur as well as access for peacekeepers and aid agencies to those in need were among the issues discussed late last month during the latest talks between the UN, the AU and the Sudanese Government.

Joint UN-AU Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari told reporters after the meeting that the mission takes its mandate to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance very seriously.

“This is a continuous process of dialogue with the Government,” said Mr. Gambari, who stressed that “we need to go where we need to go.”