دارفـــــــــور: تصفية عرقية‘ إغتصاب‘ (...) فيديـــــــــــــــو

Quote: Darfur refugees threaten hunger strike 22 Jun 2005 18:11:14 GMT Source: Reuters By Opheera McDoom KALMA CAMP, Sudan, June 22 (Reuters) - Darfur refugees on Wednesday threatened to go on hunger strike if conditions do not improve in camps in the remote region and expressed discontent with African Union forces monitoring a shaky ceasefire. Tribal leaders in Darfur's largest camp, Kalma, said unless a commercial blockade on the camp, imposed by the government for almost a month, was lifted and conditions improved, they would fast for three days starting Friday and then go on hunger strike. "We are being isolated from Sudanese society here," Sheikh Eissa Ahmed told a joint delegation from the government of Sudan, the United Nations and donor countries. About a month ago, many of the more than 100,000 mostly non-Arabs, who fled their villages to Kalma camp, clashed with government police and the government Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), burnt down their offices and have since refused to allow the authorities to return. They distrust the Sudanese government, accusing it of bombing their villages during the more than 2-1/2 year revolt by non-Arab rebels and have often clashed with police in the overflowing and tense camp. Rebels accuse the government of marginalisation and of preferential treatment of Arab tribes. Following the clashes the government imposed a ban on all commercial traffic to the camp outside the capital of South Darfur state, Nyala. The army has set up extra checkpoints along the road, and blocked off the other road leading to the camp from the airport. They say rebels are active in the camp. Long lines of men, women and children laden down with heavy loads traipsed the long 12 km (7 mile) hike to Nyala from Kalma under the hot desert sun. Aid workers and refugees told the delegation that prices had risen in the camp market, and some goods were not even available anymore. The sick could not get to the hospital in Nyala except by uncomfortable donkey cart. Tens of thousands have been killed and more than 2 million have fled their homes during the fighting, which the United States called genocide. The International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier this month launched an inquiry into alleged war crimes in Darfur. The tribal leaders said the African Union civilian police forces who had set up a 24-hour police presence in the camp since the troubles had not helped security. AlertNet news is provided by

(عدل بواسطة Mohamed osman Deraij on 06-22-2005, 04:41 PM)