SUDAN/CHAD: SCENES IN THE KALMA REFUGEE CAMP, DARFUR, SUDAN AND BREIDJING REFUGEE CAMP IN CHAD.

Record ID: 275301

  • Title: SUDAN/CHAD: SCENES IN THE KALMA REFUGEE CAMP, DARFUR, SUDAN AND BREIDJING REFUGEE CAMP IN CHAD.
  • Date: 20th August 2004
  • Summary: (W6) KALMA CAMP, SOUTHERN DARFUR, SUDAN (AUGUST 22, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS: OF KALMA CAMP. (3 SHOTS) 0.13 2. VARIOUS: OF PEOPLE IN THE CAMP MARKET AND WALKING IN STREETS. (4 SHOTS) 0.34 3. WS: SUDANESE POLICE PATROLLING INSIDE CAMP. 0.39 4. CU/WS: WOMAN COOKING FOOD ON THE STREET TO SELL INSIDE THE CAMP. (2 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 4th September 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: DARFUR, SUDAN/BREIDJING CAMP, EASTERN CHAD
  • City:
  • Country: Sudan Chad
  • Reuters ID: LVA4AW4AE5PIZYAOGN8T30O41Y5N
  • Story Text: Villagers who fled Arab militias demanded
    compensation before they would agree to leave a camp in
    Sudan's remote Darfur.



    Villagers who fled Arab militias who looted and
    burned their homes and crops demanded compensation on
    Sunday (August 22) before they would agree to leave a camp
    in Sudan's remote Darfur to make the long trek home.

    The huge Kalma camp for internally displaced people in
    southern Darfur state shelters just under 150,000 African
    villagers who fled attacks by Arab militias known as
    Janjaweed.

    Despite international pressure for cooperation between
    the government and rebels to ease the plight of civilians
    in the impoverished region, tensions among victims of the
    fighting run high and distrust of the Sudanese government
    is deep.

    After years of low-level conflict between Arab nomadic
    tribes and African farming communities over dwindling
    resources, rebels took up arms in February 2003, accusing
    the government of helping Arab militias known as Janjaweed
    to loot and burn African villages in a campaign of ethnic
    cleansing.

    Khartoum denies the charge calling the Janjaweed outlaws.

    The U.N. says about 200,000 refugees who fled the
    violence are encamped in Chad, more than a million others
    have fled their homes within Darfur, and up to 50,000
    people have been killed in the conflict.

    Sudan has less than two weeks to prove to the U.N.

    Security Council that it is serious about disarming the
    Janjaweed and making it safe for displaced people to return
    to home, or face possible sanctions.

    Many villagers said they were promised compensation for
    their losses when they arrived in the camps and would not
    budge until they received it.

    The mistrust extends to Arab villagers who had
    previously lived among their African-speaking neighbours.

    Some of the people in Kalma say they will no longer live
    alongside Arab tribespeople.

    One Arab who fled the fighting was stabbed and beaten
    to death when he took refuge in Kalma last week and some
    hinted the attack may have been fuelled by revenge.

    But most of the displaced people's anger and distrust was reserved
    for the government.



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