Blockade on Darfur camp renewed after brief access window

19/08/2010 05:46

Authorities early this week allowed aid workers to access Kalma Camp in South Darfur before again renewing their blockade on aid to the camp. The camp has been blockaded since 2 August in the wake of extra-judicial murders there that the government blames on camp leaders who are now sheltering with the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Despite repeated demands from Khartoum, the peacekeepers have refused to hand over the camp leaders to authorities. UNAMID is under conditional orders from UN Headquarters in New York not to do so.

Authorities early this week allowed aid workers to access Kalma Camp in South Darfur before again renewing their blockade on aid to the camp. The camp has been blockaded since 2 August in the wake of extra-judicial murders there that the government blames on camp leaders who are now sheltering with the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Despite repeated demands from Khartoum, the peacekeepers have refused to hand over the camp leaders to authorities. UNAMID is under conditional orders from UN Headquarters in New York not to do so.On Monday, UN workers and Sudanese aid groups were able to access Kalma for the first time, in order to make a quick assessment, the Associated Press reported. They also delivered fuel for water pumps, which ran out of fuel last week, and medicine to one clinic. The blockade was restored on Tuesday.

Kalma is still being patrolled by peacekeepers. Parts of the camp, once estimated to have between 82,000 and 100,000 residents, are now abandoned, according to Radio Dabanga sources.