Monday, October 22, 2007

Daily Update: Hamidiya: Another Refugee Camp Attacked

Christina Hueschen

On the ground - According to Reliefweb, Sudanese government forces tried twice to enter Hamidiya refugee camp in western Darfur on Saturday, and 3 Sudanese government soldiers were killed as they launched one of the attacks.  A UN spokeswoman said today that troops moved into the camp after reports that residents had killed a government intelligence officer. Some IDPs (internally displaced persons) have reportedly left the camp, fearing another attack.

In diplomacy - Khartoum called on the southern Sudan People’s Liberation Movement yesterday to rejoin Sudan’s unity government “to save the CPA” (Comprehensive Peace Accord, signed in 2005).  The SPLM rejected the appeal from Vice President Ali Osman Taha, flatly refusing to return to the government until their demands have been met.  Talks between President al-Bashir and SPLM leader Kiir failed to reach any agreement last week but will resume Wednesday (from AFP).

The UN is urgently lobbying countries to provide helicopters for the 26,000-strong UN-AU joint peacekeeping force, scheduled to deploy Jan. 1.  The UN has not yet received a credible offer to provide the 24 transport and attack helicopters necessary for the force - one of many obstacles to launching the mission by the Jan. 1 date (from Reuters).

Within the activist movement - According to BBC News, thousands attended Sunday’s Darfur charity concert at Wembley Arena, London.  The event, which was organized by Islamic Relief, featured some of the biggest pop stars of the Muslim world, including Sami Yusuf - called the “Islamic Bono.”

Also, be sure to check out Darfur activist and scholar Eric Reeves’s latest full-length analysis, “Darfur Adrift: A Skeptical Assessment of Resolution 1769” on his website.