JUBA/NEW YORK

(

25 Apr

.) -

Theandnbsp;Committee of Darfur Sultans, Darfuri activists, and the Association of Displaced People and Refugees of Darfur have decided to register the number of victims of the widespread killings in Bentiu, the capital of Unity State.

Three sub-committees will be tasked with the follow-up of the issues of the people currently residing in Bentiu: the registering and counting of the number of deaths, wounded, and missing. The participants decided this on Thursday, the final day of a commemoration service of the Darfuri martyrs, in Juba.

The conferees had demanded the Darfuri to be "united", Eisa Ibrahim El Haj of the Association of the Displaced People and Refugees explained to Radio Dabanga from Juba. He pointed to the participation of all Sudanese and people with other nationalities on that day at Samba Square in Juba.

On Thursday, the members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) expressed horror and anger at the mass violence in Bentiu on 14 and 15 April that “resulted in the death of more than 200 men, women and children”, and the attack on a UNMISS compound in Bor in which a number of people was killed.

In a press statement, they strongly deplored the targeting of civilians based on their ethnicity, and reiterated their demand for an end to the human rights violations. “We are ready to consider appropriate measures against those responsible.”

The UNSC further expressed concern regarding the threats made to oil companies, fearing for the security of the economic infrastructure.

Finally, the members demanded that President Salva Kiir, former Vice President Riek Machar, and other political leaders demonstrate leadership by publicly stating that all attacks on civilians are unacceptable. “They should return to the peace process mediated by the East-African body, IGAD,” they stated.

Darfuri trapped in Upper Nile

On a different note, El Haj said that there are about 27 Darfuri now trapped in the area of Fanjak in Upper Nile state, owing to the non-operation of a raft that is supposed to transport them to safer places.

Photo taken outside the Bentiu mosque, after the violence (Twitter)

Arabic Forum