DARFUR: THOUSANDS FLEE TO AFRICAN UNION-UN PEACEKEEPERS BASE FOR SAFETY

DARFUR: THOUSANDS FLEE TO AFRICAN UNION-UN PEACEKEEPERS BASE FOR SAFETY
New York, Feb 22 2009 2:00PM
Aerial bombardments over the South Darfur town of Muhajeria, the scene of recent violent clashes between Sudanese Government forces and a rebel militia, have forced thousands to a United Nations peacekeepers base in search of safety, the joint African Union-UN mission to the region (UNAMID) reported today.

UNAMID estimated that about 5,000 people have fled to its base in search of safety for a second time since fighting broke out in the middle of last month between the Government of Sudan and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels, exposing tens of thousands of civilians to the deadly violence.

Earlier this week, the Deputy Governor of South Darfur gave assurances that the UN would receive continued access to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to around 100,000 people caught up in the latest outburst of hostilities on Sudan's western flank.

At the same time, there w
as further hope for stability in the region when Government and JEM representatives met on Tuesday for the first time in two years to sign the "Agreement of Good Will and Confidence Building for the Settlement of the Problem in Darfur."

The hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force also reported that its police unit will conduct the first night patrols at a new community policing centre (CPC) constructed between two large camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

The move, which starts tonight, means that the interim CPC will provide continuous 24-hour operations as part of UNAMID's efforts to enhance its protection of the tens of thousands of residents taking shelter at the Abu Shouk and El Salaam camps for IDPs.

A delegation of IDPs from El Salaam camp has also thanked UNAMID Police for its help in securing the recent release of several IDPs from detention by Sudanese national intelligence officers.

Construction will start within the next t
wo weeks on another interim CPC -- this time near Zamzam, a separate IDP camp close to El Fasher, according to UNAMID.
Some 300,000 people are estimated to have been killed, either through direct combat or as a result of disease, malnutrition or reduced life expectancy, and more than 2.7 million others have been forced from their homes since the conflict in Darfur, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militia, began in 2003.
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