On April 8, 2009, it was reported that General Scott Gration, the US Special Envoy to Sudan, proposed a resolution to fill the gap left by the Government of Sudan's decision to expel 16 aid groups from Darfur. The purpose of this blog is to provide updates on how Darfuri lives are affected as they wait for aid to be restored.
Updates and comments about the crisis are provided by Mohamed Suleiman, a US-based Darfuri with a broad network of Darfuri contacts from the Diaspora and from IDP camps in Sudan and refugee camps in Chad. For additional information, visit www.whilewewaitsudan.org/
Day 551 was November 12th 2010
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Monday, December 27, 2010 Khor Abeche, a disaster in the making
By Mohamed Suleiman
Source: www.whilewewaitsudan.org/2010/12/day-551-november-12th-2010
While the world celebrates the holidays, Government of Sudan (GoS) has picked the right timing to turn Khor Abeche into a Srebrenica, not the Serbian style but Kahrtoum style: slow death through blockade and starvation.
Since December 10th 2010 (more than 2 weeks ago), GoS did not allow any vehicle to enter the town. The only western NGO, World vision, left Khor Abeche when areal bombings started on the 10th. No humanitarian aid (food, medicine, other life essentials) was allowed in. Trucks from Nyala that were sent by the relatives of the town residents desperately trying to help the trapped people in and around Khor Abbechi, were turned back by GoS troops and Janjaweed forces lead by Musa Galis.
I am in contact with some residents of the town of Khor Abbechi and some of their sons in Europe, and this what they told me:
- Khor Abeche is a town in South Darfur. It is about 55 miles north-east of Nyala (capital city of South Darfur). The town is inhabited now with about 11 thousand people.
- Musa Galis, a retired Police General who is now the Nazir (head of a tribe) of the Birgid tribe, said publicly in October 2010 that he odes not want certain tribes in the area. He specifically singled out a large population of the Zaghawa tribe (one of the tribes targeted by GoS in its campaign of ethnic cleansing). Musa Galis mentioned that he has the backing of GoS and " the Ababil jets are ready". Ababil is the biblical name the GoS uses to describe its air force power. (Ababil means the birds that drop fatal stones).
Musa Galis was promised by the GoS that he will be in charge of the area, including Khor Abeche, if he droves away the other tribes considered "enemy of the State".
- On December 10th and 11th of this month, government's jets, antonoves, and helicopters bombed Khor Abeche. Targets included anything that sustains the life of the local people: water sources, food storage huts, livestock, and the market. On the 12th and the following days, Musa Galis and his militia entered the the town marked looting and destroying crops and goods. The town just finished harvest after the farming season. Eyewitness said the destruction was deliberate. Many huts contain harvest of peanuts, sesame, and sorghum, were set on fire.
On Friday 17 and Friday 24th, more areal bombings were carried out by Ababils.
- About 1500 of the town residents sought refuge in UNAMID local post. More than 2500 fled to to Wadi Hariza (dry river) and some tried to escape the bombings by fleeing to the Mountain.
- Musa Galis is sending the messages to those who remained in the town (about 7000), that he will not harm them if they seek refuge in the IDP camps or any other place but not to remain in Khor Abeche. When the people refused to leave, his now message is: if Ababils do not force you out, hunger will.
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