The protection of civilians in Darfur must have priority

Because of the growing violence in Darfur, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) calls for a better protection of the civilian population in the conflict region of western Sudan. "For the 1.7 million refugees in Darfur, life has become a living hell due to the air raids, rapes, lacking supplies for the refugees, the expulsion of foreign aid workers, the suspension of patrols by UNAMID peacekeepers and the inter-ethnic struggles," said the STP's expert on questions regarding Africa, Ulrich Delius, in Göttingen on Tuesday. "The International Community must stop the Sudanese army from conducting air raids against the civilians and should organize better care for the refugees. Also – to stop the fighting between rivaling ethnic groups – local peace initiatives must be supported."

More than 300 members of the Arab population groups of the Rizeigat and the Maalia were killed during the past four days alone. The two population groups – who live in eastern Darfur as nomads – are fighting over stretches of land and over cattle. As Janjaweed-fighters, they were also involved in the genocide against at least 400,000 black African Darfuris since 2003. Today, they are fighting over the distribution of their war loot and accusing each other of "ethnic cleansing" in the conflicts over land and livestock. "Lawlessness and violence are getting out of hand," warned Delius. "Darfur's ethnic militias – who were armed by the Sudanese army to take part in the genocide – are now trying to establish a state within a state, which is getting harder to control." On Monday, enraged Maalia had even tried to kill the governor of South Darfur, Abdel Hamid Musa Kasha, because Sudan is unable to guarantee their safety.

In addition to the heavy clashes between the Arabic or Arabized population groups, the Sudanese government is spreading fear by conducting indiscriminate air raids on civilians in the Jebel Marra Mountains. On Sunday, nine civilians – including two seven-year-old twins – died in the bombing of the village of Suri. More than 17,000 people have fled from the massif because of the bombing.

Due to the catastrophic shortages in the refugee camps, the serious damage caused by torrential rains and the fact that the Sudanese authorities are hindering the international aid workers, it has become more difficult to ensure the survival of the civilian population. "It is a scandal that Sudan refused to issue permits for 20 of the 37 foreign employees of the UN refugee agency UNHCR in North Darfur in August 2013 – which is a de facto expulsion – even though the number of refugees in Darfur has increased by 300.000 since the beginning of the year," criticized Delius.