Updates from Darfur

     With the situation in Darfur changing daily- we want to make sure that our members and volunteers are aware of the most accurate and up-to-date facts and information. As soon as we receive any updates from the field, from activists, from governments, or from press- it will be posted here so that you may all have access to it!

2.11.10

Darfurian Student in University of Khartoum killed by NiSS

2.9.10

Today (Tuesday February 9), government backed militias in Kass (South Darfur) have attacked two different camps of internal displaced people (IDP). Three people were confirmed dead, two Fur-sheikhs Musa Tingil and Musa Dakka were arrested amongst 40 other residents. The Border guards set Yahya Haggar camp and the Janubia-market ablaze, while Bitari camp was partly destroyed. Radio Dabanga recorded this morning intense cross fire and provided witness reports. The Central Reserve Police from Nyala rushed this morning to calm the situation, but until noon the shootings continued. According to the residents, an uniformed policeman or soldier was found dead nearby one of the camps on Monday. It was not confirmed whether he was a member of a government backed militia or the Border Intelligent Guards. The militias started their siege of the camps this morning (Tuesday) immediately after sunrise. They entered the camps of Yahya Haggar and Bitari and also the market of Janubia for large scale looting, including burning of houses and shops. The local government could not be reached for comment at the moment. The former Janjaweed have been integrated in the Border Guards, a military unit of the Sudanese Armed Forces. It is still unclear whether the government militia involved has already been formally integrated in the structures of the Border Guards, but have received arms and dresses. The Central Reserve Police is another military unit initially meant to protect the borders of the Khartoum State. It is part of the national armed forces with headquarters near Jebel Aulia, south of Khartoum. Kass has been recently the scene of several armed clashes. Several months ago masked gunmen killed two Sudanese policemen guarding a guesthouse run by the UN World Food Programme (WFP). While tracking down the potential attackers, a third police officers was killed and two of the alleged attackers were killed in an exchange of fire. There is a large presence of UNAMID peacekeepers in Kass.

2.3.10

On Wednesday, 3 February, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. (The Hague local time), the
> Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court will deliver, in public
> session, its judgment on the Prosecutor’s appeal against the “Decision on
> the Prosecution’s Application for a Warrant of Arrest against Omar Hassan
> Ahmad Al Bashir”.
>
> In that decision dated 4 March, 2009, the majority of Pre-Trial Chamber I
> found that the material provided by the Prosecutor in support of his
> application for a warrant for the arrest of Omar Al Bashir failed to provide
> reasonable grounds to believe that Omar Al Bashir had the specific intent to
> destroy, in whole or in part, the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups.
> Consequently, the crime of genocide was not included in the warrant issued
> for the arrest of Omar Al Bashir.
>
> On 6 July, 2009, the Prosecutor appealed the decision, in relation to that
> charge, submitting to the Appeals Chamber that the majority of Pre-Trial
> Chamber I erred when requiring that the existence of reasonable grounds to
> believe that the person has committed the alleged crime must be the only
> reasonable conclusion from the evidence presented by the Prosecutor.

1.20.10

- Areal bombings continue in Darfur. New villages are bombed.
From Radio Dabanga:

JEM accuse the government of bombing the Western Darfur area Abu Gamra. The bombardment on Monday caused the loss of sheeps and camels told JEM’s commander in chief Suleiman Sandal Radio Dabanga. The SLM of Minni Minawi held the JEM secretary for Humanitarian Affair, Hamid Nour Shugar directly responsible for the attack. Saying that Shugar had implicated JEM in the region and this prompted the violent government reaction.

The attack forced many families seek shelter in the mountains and valleys according to the SLM. It increased the detoriating situation of the civilians.

Suleiman Sandal downplayed SLM’s accusations as unfounded and saying the SLM is to blame for the attack as long as Minni Minawi is part of the government in Khartoum.

- Famine threatens lives of IDPs (internal Displaced People) in some camps in Darfur.
Leaders in the idp camps in the area of Zalengi told Radio Dabanga this morning that there is severe shortage of food and basic necessities hitting the camps and villages in the area of Zalengi, West Darfur. The leaders said the people outside Darfur should not believe the government's lies that there is "Food Gap but no famine". Other leaders in Kalma, the largest camp in South Darfur, complained bitterly to Radio Dabanga that there is acute shortage of food, medicine, and drinking water in the camp.

- In Ma;it area, North Darfur, the Chadian rebels (backed by the Government of Sudan) continued to wreak havoc in the area. Due to lack of security, prices of necessary commodities shot through the roof.
From Radio Dabanga:
Food and water priced in Milliet increased after Chadian opposition rebels attacked a private owned waer well. Local residents told Radio Dabanga they fear the same encounter. Residents told the price of a water container (better known as Khurug) has exceeded to fifteen Sudanese pounds.

- Clashes continue between GoS and the rebels in the area of Ain Siro, North Darfur.
From Radio Dabanga:

UNAMID send an investigation team along with medical supplies to the area of Ain Siru in North Darfur. The area is witnessing clashes between the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) of Abdul Wahid. Spokesman Noureddine Mezni told Radio Dabanga the agreement to send a team was an important change to the movement’s position. Earlier the SLM did not allow free entry to its combat zones.

12.19.09

Five myths about genocide and violence in Sudan

By John Prendergast

During Sudan's half-century of independence, few spots on Earth have witnessed as much death and destruction, with 2 1/2 million war-related fatalities during the past two decades alone. Although the Darfur genocide that began in 2003 is only one of the conflicts raging in the country, they all stem from the same cause: the abuse of power. The ruling party represses independent voices and supports militias that have used genocide, child soldiers and rape as weapons of war.

Sudan faces a critical new year, with an unfree election coming in April and a referendum on the independence of the south the following January -- tripwires that could provoke a return to full-scale war. In Washington, meanwhile, few challenges have produced a greater chasm between words and deeds. A first step toward closing that gap is debunking the myths about Sudan that persist among policymakers, diplomats and the public:

The genocide in Darfur is largely over.

1.Because the regime's mass burning of villages in Darfur has ended and mortality rates have plummeted, some have concluded that the worst is done. African Union officials have even claimed that the war in Darfur is over, while Scott Gration, President Obama's special envoy for Sudan, referred in June to the ongoing violence in Darfur as "remnants of genocide." But the government is blocking all independent avenues of reporting, so there is no way to know the level of targeted violence or its perpetrators.

For example, mass rape is one of the main weapons of genocide, and there is ample anecdotal evidence that it is still occurring in Darfur. But in March the regime expelled over a dozen nongovernmental organizations, many of which provided support and protection for survivors of rape, so there no longer is any systematic reporting of sexual assaults.

There are vast humanitarian-aid red zones throughout Darfur. Journalists are systematically denied access, independent local voices are repressed, and U.N. groups and other international agencies are intimidated or simply prevented from investigating reports of human rights violations.

China's oil investments in Sudan keep it from pressuring the government.

2. China, which has invested more than $9 billion during the past decade in Sudan's oil sector, has provided weapons to the regime and run interference for it at the U.N. Security Council. Major international efforts to pressure Beijing to play a more constructive role have fallen on deaf ears. However, the game could change. If the 2005 peace deal between Sudan's north and south collapses and southerners go back to war, their first targets will be Chinese oil installations in the north. China, therefore, has a vested interest in peace and security. Following up on Obama's trip to China, Washington and Beijing could partner in a diplomatic "surge" to end the conflict in Darfur and prevent a recurrence of war in the south.

Pressure on Sudan hasn't worked, so let's try incentives.

3. Obama administration officials and international diplomats often argue that all available pressures aimed at the regime -- including sanctions, embargoes and diplomatic isolation -- have failed, so it's time to use carrots rather than sticks. Gration, the presidential envoy, told The Washington Post that "kids, countries -- they react to gold stars, smiley faces, handshakes, agreements, talk." Yet, in the 20 years since the regime in Khartoum came to power, it has compromised only in response to the threat or application of meaningful pressure from abroad, such as when it expelled Osama bin Laden from the sanctuary it was providing, stopped supporting slave-raiding militias in the south and struck a peace deal with southern rebels. There are plenty more pressure tactics that could be deployed through the Security Council or other coalitions, such as tightening the asset freezes on the ruling party's nouveau riche leaders, providing greater support to the International Criminal Court's cases against Sudanese officials, denying the regime debt relief and expanding the five-year-old U.N. arms embargo.

Indicting President Bashir hurt peace efforts.

4. This one would be funny if it weren't so sad. First of all, the peace process in Darfur was moribund long before the International Criminal Court indicted Omar Hassan al-Bashir in March for crimes against humanity. Second, it is precisely because there has been no accountability for such crimes that the violence continues. Third, internal divisions are emerging within the regime, as other high-ranking officials worry that they might be the next ones accused. In reality, the indictment against Bashir has given the international community real leverage to move peace efforts forward.

Since seizing power in a 1989 coup, Bashir has ruled despotically and has demonstrated a willingness to maintain power by any means necessary, including authorizing genocidal war tactics. No plan exists to execute the ICC arrest warrant as long as he remains president, and he appears to be the ruling-party candidate for the April election. But unless there are consequences for the crimes of his regime, the atrocities will continue.

The United States is doing everything it can to end the violence.

5. Colin Powell, who while serving as President George W. Bush's secretary of state became the first U.S. official to publicly state that the violence in Darfur constituted "genocide," also said the United States was doing "all it can" to end it. Obama officials have made similar statements since taking office.

And while the United States has provided by far the most humanitarian aid to Sudan's multiple emergencies and has contributed more than any other country to peacekeeping efforts there, opportunities abound to take a more proactive approach. The United States has not led international efforts to draft a peace deal that addresses the root causes of violence in Darfur. The United States has not built even a small coalition of countries willing to impose consequences on a genocidal regime. The United States has not presented a credible case that this regime is supporting ethnic conflict in the south again as the election approaches. The United States has not stood up for a free and fair election in Sudan by suspending U.S. taxpayer support to the current process. And the United States has not provided meaningful assistance to the ICC to expand its work in Sudan.

In short, the new administration, which includes several officials with a track record of calling for real action on Sudan, is missing huge opportunities to help break the deadly cycle of conflict.

John Prendergast is a co-founder of Enough, the Center for American Progress project to end genocide, and co-author with Don Cheadle of "Not on Our Watch."

12.14.09
Sudan fires tear gas to disperse opposition rally

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese security forces fired tear gas to disperse about 200 opposition protesters on Monday who tried to rally near Sudan's parliament to demand democratic reforms before presidential and parliamentary polls.

Riot police with batons and shields lined the streets near parliament before the planned rally, a Reuters witness said.

Political tensions are mounting in Sudan in the buildup to the April elections. Khartoum drew international criticism after arresting three leaders from the main party in south Sudan at a rally last week.

South Sudan's former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement and opposition groups are demanding that President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's National Congress Party usher in reform of Sudan's security forces and other arms of the government.

The sides came closer together on Sunday when Bashir's party reached a deal with the SPLM on the terms of a referendum on southern independence.

Opposition groups said on Monday they were pushing for more changes before the elections and referendum. More than 200 opposition and SPLM supporters had gathered outside a compound close to Sudan's parliament for Monday's protest.

"Monday's agreements were only partial. Laws relating to the democratisation process -- relating to the security service, the trade unions and criminal procedure still have to be changed," said Mubarak al-Fadil, leader of the opposition Umma Reform and Renewal Party.

He said supporters were hoping to hold a peaceful march to parliament to hand over a letter requesting the changes. But a large number of security forces in the streets were preventing protesters from approaching.

"For us, this crackdown proves our point that the situation in the country does not permit free and fair elections," Fadel told Reuters.

Ibrahim Ghandour, a senior NCP official, said the rally was a matter for the security services and that organisers had not applied for permission for a march.

"We hope that the opposition parties instead of talking in their historical jargon go forward and encourage their supporters, if they have any, to take part in the election," he said.

12.7.09
SUDAN PEOPLES’ LIBERATION MOVEMENT (SPLM)
Secretariat for Information, Culture and Communication
Southern Sector

Monday, 7th December 2009


Press Statement



Today, the Sudanese people in Khartoum are conducting peaceful demonstrations in support of their Members of Parliament in the National Assembly who demanded the National Assembly to urgently pass laws on:
· Referendum for Southern Sudan and Abyei, Popular Consultations for people of SouthernKordofan and Southern Blue Nile
· Repeal of security repressive laws that restrict individual and public freedom.

The NCP is using its majority in the parliament to block the passing of these laws.

As a result of the peaceful demonstrations in Khartoum, the NCP system of government has arrested the following SPLM leaders:
· SPLM Secretary General, Cde pagan Amum
· SPLM Deputy Secretary General, Cde Yaser Aryman
· Cde Juma Abas, State Minister for Interior.
· SPLM members of Parliament in the National Assembly, and members of SPLM Secretariat.

Although there is this provocation by the NCP, the SPLM requests the public to remain calm and peaceful.

The SPLM leadership is meeting now and will provide an update and guidance on the situation soon.

Yours in struggle,
Bol Makueng

Secretary for Information, Culture and Communication

SPLM - Southern Sector


8.3.09
URGENT:

In a phone call from El Fasher, it is reported that the Army, Security Forces, Janjaweed, are surrounding the IDP camp called Nivasha (near El fasher).
It is reported that the leader of the camp (Omdah) and his wife were killed by the troops of GoS.



7.8.09
African Union Headmembers refused to coopperate with the ICC regarding
the arrest warrant against Omar Al-bashir

July 7, 2009

It is sad day for Darfuri people and Damanga coalition for Freedom and Democracy, and all those who have worked tirelessly for the human rights and freedom of the people of Darfur. The African Union leaders shamelessly announced on their meeting in Libya yesterday July 6,2009, that those 30 states who are the signitores of the the International Criminal Court and those ratified the Romme Statutes refused to consider the arrest warrant issued in March by the ICC Prosecutor Mr. Louis Moreno Ocampo against the Al-bashir who committed crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.

Damanga considers this act by so called African Leaders shameful and a disaster for the people of Darfur who are experiencing horror. These notorious Leaders, who deliberately and intentionaly chose to support the Criminals Instead of their victims in Darfur. AU's Vicious decision in Libya against the people of Darfur made clear that this organization of the ugliest Dictators of Africa, are working together against justice and to cover up their crimes committed on a daily basis within their own countries. It is obvious for any observors that it is not surprising that such unresponsible decisions are being made since the arrest warrant was released. These insincere criminals of the African Union have proven their reluctant position from the begining, against the ICC Indictment of Omar al-bashir and other suspects in Sudan because they are trying to protect themselves from any future Indictment for their own crimes against their people. Protecting corrupted criminals is a serious crime. The AU head leaders should understand that their action to side with the Evil is a Devil's act. Leaders who don't respect human's dignity or do the right thing towards their own people don't deserve any respect at all. AU has to understand that there's no way to protect al-bashir from being arrested, or for any of them who killed his own country men and women. Justice is Justice with no protection for criminals by the name of impunity or sovernity. The ICC decision is valid and should be respected and enforced by all means. Al-bashir should be deliverd to the justice Immediately without delay. All other suspects in Sudan and Africa should be held accountable without any reservations or restrictions.

On the other hand, Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy strongly praises the bold Initiative of The president of Botswana of Africa and his cabinet and people of Batswana who stood tall for the human rights and the people of Darfur, to support the ICC arrest warrant, asking all AU Leaders and the International Community to fullfil justice and arrest criminal al-bashir Immediately without any impunity or delays. Damanga and the world and the people of Darfur greatly applaude this positive and courageous position from Botswana.

Damanga urges the rest of African leaders, Arabs Leaques, Europe, US, Canada, Austria and the UN to support Botswana and the people of Darfur and human rights and to arrest al-bashir and all criminals all over the world.



7.2.09
- 5 refugees have died this week in the IDP camp of AlRiyadh near AlGeneinah in West Darfur.
The death of the camp's residents was attributed to the worsening health conditions due to the lack of medical care, a leader in the camp told Radio Dabangea.
The leader also said in the interview that since the expulsion of the NGOs from Darfur, conditions deteriorated terribly in the camps and they have to transport the very sick to the hospital of the city in AlGeneinah. The leader added that in the hospital, which is run by GoS, they are discriminated against in treatment and usually left last in receiving medical care. They voiced their complaints to some Doctors but were told privately that they, the Doctors, are carrying out the policy of the GoS. The refugees' leader said that some Doctors were sympathetic to their plight but told them clearly not expect to have the clinics reopen soon the camps or see medical staff taking care of the refugees in the camps because this is the apparent policy of the Government of Khartoum.

- 2 Mig fighter jets ( Sudan Air Force) flew yesterday at low altitudes over the IDP camp of Kassab in North Darfur near Kutum. The refugees in the camp were terrorized and ran for cover. Many were injured, 4 children were among them. Some tents and make-shift shelters were seen flying in the air, a refugee in the camp told Radio Dabanga.
Sudan Air Force practices this terrorizing action over many camps for years.



6.25.09
It is brutally honest, blatantly true, and extremely specific. The U.N.’s Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Sudan recently gave her report to the U.N.’s Human Rights Council. The report includes a section on Darfur, which is the only area of the world where a declared genocide is taking place.



Here are some highlights of the report:


During the reporting period, ongoing fighting involving Government forces, signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), non-signatories to the DPA, and other armed groups, resulted in civilian casualties, destruction of civilian property, including homes and markets, loss of livelihood and mass displacement of affected communities. Violations of the right to life, torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary detention by all sides have also been reported.

From August 2008 to May 2009 there were 129 carjackings of United Nations and humanitarian vehicles, and the killings of three UNAMID peacekeepers. In a number of cases, Human Rights Officers continue to face difficulty in undertaking missions to various areas. On 31 December 2008, they were prevented from conducting monitoring work in Abu Suruj, West Darfur by SAF officials who demanded travel permits, and refused access to the area. A similar incident occurred in Abu Suruj on 15 April 2009. Obstruction of UNAMID personnel in the conduct of their mandated functions is inconsistent with the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed by the Government and UN in February 2008. In March, three international and two national staff of an international NGO were also briefly abducted.

Apart from human rights and humanitarian workers, the NISS continued to detain a number of IDPs and other civilians, often holding them incommunicado and without charge. Cases of ill-treatment and allegations of torture by the NISS continue to be reported across Darfur.



6.21.09
- Last week, female students from Darfur in University of Khartoum convened a meeting to discuss crimes of GoS against the people of Darfur. The meeting was held in the girls dormitory in female residence in the University in Khartoum. NCP female supporters accompanied with male security agents disguised in female covers attacked the Darfuri female students with iron bars, bats, knives. It is forbidden by law and tradition for any male to enter the girls dormitories.
The Darfuri female students were savagely attacked, chased out of the compounds with bijamas and many bare footed, many bleeding seriously.
The toll of attack is as follows:

A- Seriously injured:

1- Nada Abdulrahman ---- four broken teeth (top), one broken tooth(bottom)-Facial injuries.

2- Aziza Adam Manice --- Beaten with iron bar on kidney, head, back.

3- Saadiah Idris -- injured on head by iron bar, underwent surgery and stitching.

4- Shadiyah Haroun --- Injuries all over the body, in critical condition.

5- Hawaa Aamir -- Injuries all over the body, in critical condition.

6- Howaida Dawood -- injuries on buttocks, back, arms.

7- Thurayah Abdulrahman -- injuries on arms, almost paralyzed.

8- Rawdah Mohamed Ali -- very serious injuries all over her body.

9- Thurayah Bakheit -- injuries on arms, buttocks, back.

10- Aayaat Adam Alnour -- injuries in the head, back, arms.

11 - Hagga Seleiman -- beaten all over her body.

12 - Tawassul Abdulrahman - Beaten with iron bars on head and back, now detained.

13 - Nadiah Abdulkarim -- Beaten on her stomach, legs, broken rib,now detained.

14 - Sagdah Musa - injuries on legs, now detained.

15- Samirah Ahmed Makki - beaten on stomach and legs.

16 - Aamnah Elddein -- beaten on the chest, neck, now detained.

17 - Susan Omer -- in critical condition now.

18 - Salwa Mubarak -- beaten with iron barall over her body.

19 - Mawahib Munsour Alnour -- beaten with iron bar, now in critical condition.

20 - Amani Mohamed Gumaa - Beaten with iron bar on the back, now in critical
condition.


Somebody has to pass this list to the Special Envoy General Gration to pass along it to the NCP delegate now in Washington. Let Ghazi Salahuddin see this ( he already knows about it).
There are more names of the detained students.
These female students were targeted solely because they are from Darfur discussing crimes committed against their relatives in Darfur.



6.20.09
- The IDPs (Internally Displaced People) in the refugees camps in Darfur speak out.
Leaders of refugees in IDP camps in Darfur in interviews with Radio Dabanga this morning asked The President of The United States of America Barack Obama to fire his Special Envoy General Scott Gration for his remarks on Wednesday. One leader from a camp in Zalengie (west Darfur) said since the expulsion of the NGOs "the rations are cut 50%, we live with our children under rain in torn shelters, we lack health services, how could the Special Envoys says the humanitarian conditions are improving, from where he got this 100% figure?!". Another Leader said that when Gration visited Sudan in his first trip he said that he came to learn from the Government of Sudan. The refugees' Leader said that it is evident that Gration has learned from GoS how to lie and distort facts about the humanitarian situation on the ground. The Leader challenged the Special Envoy to come to his camp or any other camp in Darfur not staged by GoS to see the real conditions for himself.

- UNAMIDsaid in a statement that the incidents of attacks by armed militias against people in the IDP camps has increased dramatically. The UNAMID spokesperson Nurddin said in a separate interview to Radio Dabanga that there is serious lack of drinking water, blankets, shelter material, food, health care, and education in the IDP camps of Darfur. The spokesperson said that no one likes to live in these camps due to the bad living conditions there. He added that there is a lot to be done to improve the living situation there and/or work on the return of these refugees to their original homes.



6.17.09
Two victims of rape still in Zalengie hospital. Raped by janjaweed using rape as a weapon to break the will of Darfur people. Government of Sudan tell the Janjaweed : You have to kill them savegly and violate their women, otherwise they will come back and claim their land.
Still bomb craters fresh in Furawiah when it was bombed just few days ago.
Gration is a hero in Khartoum. Champion of normalization.
Gration does not feel the pain of Darfur people who are still suffering from an on going Genocide.
Gration wants to redfine "Genocide".
Gration must go.



3.23.09
1- Food rations reduced to 60%.
2- Water is available from pumps for 6 hours only instead of 10 hours (as before).
3- Chlorine for water treatment has run out in these camps.
4-The 2 clinics that serves these camps ( run besore by Doctors-Without-Borders now run by I.M.C.) running out of medical supplies, days of operations reduced to 5 days now to 3 days per week. IDP refugees venture to travel to the hospital in the city of Zalingei. (GoS has a military base there and Janjaweed hang around).
5- There is shortage of blanckets, canvases for shelters in these camps.



3.23.09
Meningitis is spreading through Darfur IDP camps. Now than ever immunization is needed in all camps:
1- New cases climbed to 38 cases in Kalma IDP camp (South camp).
2- Nine cases in Kassab IDP camps (North Darfur).

Situation in Zamzam IDP camps is deteriorating rapidly.
1- There are 63,000 new comers since January without any services or registration. They gather on the bare ground of the Camp. They are the first
casualties of NGOs expulsion.
2- Water problem is getting worse. some women and children spend close to 11 hours at the pump just to fill one 4-gallon plastic container.
3- Clinics are closed in the camp. Only God knows how acute the health situation in the camp in the absence of NGOs.

Another report from Darfur:

1- In Al-geniena camps of western( Riyadh, Abuzaid, Kerdang, Ardamata, Dorti etc). The lives turned to be impossible, specially after Riyadh and Abuzaid camps were attacked by the government and Janjaweed the day that the arrest warrant issued. because the refugees celebrated and cheered for the ICC decision. More than 14 lost their lives and more than 300 house were burnt in the same day.
In addition to this the rest of survivors on both camps were removed from there and driven to leave for other areas.

2- Thousands whom fleeing to cross the border to Chad seeking safe haven there along with their fellow refugees..they were blocked by Sudanese guarding borders. They want them to die starving inside Darfur desert.

3- Water and food as well as medicine are the critical issues..also children's milk..Unfortunately, all refugees used to get their daily shares contributed by the aid workers. After Al-bashir expelled the NGO's, Sudanese army and Janjaweed immediately took over all the food stores, clinics, water resources, etc from the aid workers. Furthermore, the refugees whom denied their food ...they were surprised to see the same food, medicine, shelters have been sold out to the traders in markets. So the refugees are very upset to see their stuff available in the markets for sale..but they have no money to afford buy it. Simply because they have no money, and no jobs in Darfur.

4- Many of these refugees I talked to in different camps from western Darfur to North and South Darfur, they stressed very similar complaints..and the most difficult one is about the water and medicine.... in El-fashir camps, refugees lacking water range very much more than other areas in Darfur. the whole family of 5 or 7 gets only one plastic jerkin container that takes about 4 gallons per day. that's equal to about less than 2 litre per person a day..which means..only for drinking..there's no more for other purposes such as cleaning, taking shower..even gotten very difficult to satisfy drinking rather than cooking. However, the worst scenario would be a disaster if they don't get enough water, food and medicine for 2 weeks from now.

5- South Darfur camps such as Kalma and Domaya for example..the diseases were spread..such as the meningitis, cholera, diarrhea and etc..couple hundreds were affected and everyday more caught the same diseases..especially since doctors mostly left..the few are threatened to leave for ever...thus so far indicates a disaster already started.

6- When I asked some of these refugees for what they want from us to do to help...they said:
- we need an immediate help by water, food, medicine and shelter.
- we need peace keepers as quickly as possible from America and Europe to protect us.
- We need America to send international police to arrest Al-bashir and others before they kill us all.
- They all said..we will die..we will die very soon. Starving, thirsty or sickness. Al-bashir even don't need to shoot a bullet to kill if this situation continues for a week or 2 weeks maximum from now.
Please Mohamed do something for us ask Americans, ask President Obama, ask the United Nations..
they pleaded repeatedly..in a broken native languages that let me felt how desperate they are for help..I don't know what to do..I just can't hold my tears when one of them I asked him to describe more the situation how it looks like..he said: "Saab...Saab...Saab Khalis Khalis..." then remained silent he wasn't able to give the precise description...So what he said: was roughly in English ..means...the situation is very very difficult..that no one could imagine...



3.19.09
Humanitarian situation there are short of service, water, food, health, situation....etc in all IDPs camps in Darfur. And it needs urgent action but with plan otherwise taking in consideration the past experiences in Darfur and Sudan in 1990s in addition to get better understanding for the Sudanese Government mentality.

* The Sudanese government plans to let the international community focus on the Humanitarian situation and not the ICC so 13 NGOs were closed and abducted, UNAMID peace keepers were attacked and killed, human rights activities are threatened and GOS is planning to close all international organization in one year's time.

* The Sudanese government plans to recruits more Janjaweed as yesterday Bashir visit Sebedo in South Darfur. It is one of the Janjaweed bases, the purpose was to encourage them for the current situation and to get them ready for fighting with SPLM if need be.

* Last but not least there are many sickness within the IDPs camps addition to over 36234 newly IDPs are suffering from lack of any thing in Zam Zam camp in El-Fasher north Darfur.

Therefore I think the current situation is very difficult and will lead to new crises if urgent action will not taken, I think people need to do this:-

Ø Eliminate the language of no fly zone for now it is highly needed but not for now, GoS has many plans to kill the people.

Ø Ask the US government to put intensive pressure on the GoS using the same tools used for signing the CPA, that is to say if you do not do this we will do this.

Ø Get ready for having food, medicine...etc to air drop to the IDPs--there are many ways to secure the food after and before the dropping.

Ø Let the new special envoy play his diplomatic role starting with Arab league, African Union China...the environment is good for him now.

Ø Let us be realistic on solving and let us think on what possible to do having in our concentration different interest and concern of many countries and how that will affect their diplomatic relations.



3.19.09
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

__________________________