- Title: SUDAN: Refugees in Darfur happy with new AU/UN force
- Date: 14th February 2008
- Summary: CHILDREN, WOMEN FROM ARDHA MATTA CAMP LOOKING AT UNAMID SOLDIERS
- Embargoed: 29th February 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Sudan
- Country: Sudan
- Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVA961HXA9JKRLO5322CJ57NSWGE
- Story Text: Refugees in camps for those displaced by violence reacting positively to the UNAMID troops deploying across the region.
This dust-covered camp for Sudanese civilians displaced by years of violence may not appear like a place of hope, but a change in the makeup of a peacekeeping force in the region is bringing a palpable change and hope to the lives of some of the displaced living there.
A joint peacekeeping force took over from a struggling African Union mission on December 31, the verdict from thousands of Darfuris so far is they are doing a good job with more interaction with the people, proactive day and night patrols and a new vigour about their work.
While they are far short of the 26,000 police and troops eventually due to deploy in the world's largest U.N.-funded peacekeeping operation, the change to U.N. "blue berets" of UNAMID (United Nations - African Union Mission in Darfur) from the African Union's green caps has been received well.
New night patrols have stopped local gangs and militia, referred to locally as Janjaweed, from going into camps like Ardamata in West Darfur at night and preying on inmates.
There were 42 Philippines civilian police on Wednesday (February 13) who began their first patrol in the camps.
The AU was viewed by suspicion by many of the refugees because they mediated a 2006 peace deal which most people rejected. That, coupled with its inability to stem the attacks on civilians, pushed frustrated people to burn AU bases in several of the camps.
Since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing central government of neglect, 2.5 million people have been driven from their homes and international experts estimate 200,000 have died.
The force's composition is still only at 9,000 strength and is almost entirely made up of the old AU mission with new blue caps on. But U.N. systems are gradually being put into place.
UNAMID's Ardamata Camp Coordinator Dembo Trawally used to work for the African Union but has now changed his hat to a blue beret.
He said Darfur refugees were very happy when the AU was taken over but warned until armed police units came they would not be able to fully protect the people at night when most attacks happen.
"Once the formed units are on the ground then certainly we will not only patrol but we will live with the IDP's in their own localities with protection from the former police units," Trawally said. The mission will then have a 24-hour presence in the camps.
Trawally added that the mission will have 19 formed units, of about 140 police.
Deployment of the hybrid force has been long and arduous. It took months of persuasion, threats and talks for Khartoum to accept a compromise joint peacekeeping force. Then discussion continued over its operational rules and how many African troops could be part of the force.
On Saturday (February 9) Khartoum finally signed off on the force's operational rules and additional forces hope to begin to deploy next month. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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