What next for IDPs as Darfur camp faces closure?

The impending closure of a major camp near the South Darfur town of Nyala has led to discussions between humanitarian agencies and the Sudanese government about the future of the tens of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) living there.



Below is an overview of the closure of Kalma camp and the issues raised by the planned relocation of the IDPs to a new site or back to their home areas:



Why is Kalma camp being closed?



Mainly for security reasons, according to Sudanese officials. While announcing the imminent closure in August, South Darfur Governor Abel Hamid Kasha described the camp as “the most uncooperative IDP camp in the state”, and, in an apparent reference to members of the rebel Sudanese Liberation Movement, as “a den of criminals fleeing from justice”.



He suggested that the camp’s proximity to Nyala airport posed a security threat to the aircraft of the UN-AU hybrid Mission in Darfur, UNAMID, and that a nearby railway line was also a source of concern.



Over recent years there have been clashes in Kalma between supporters and opponents - such as the SLM - of one track of government-rebel peace negotiations hosted by Qatar, and, in August 2009, between residents and security forces.



"Kalma was always considered a time-bomb for groups engaged in political activities supporting opposition parties, and the closure of the camp was discussed by government authorities long before August 2010," one well-placed observer told IRIN.



The closure can also be seen in the context of a “radically new approach” to the Darfur crisis outlined in a key government policy document, Towards a new strategy for achieving comprehensive peace, security and development in Darfur, released in September.



“The voluntary, safe and orderly return of the displaced people of Darfur to their homes would be the ultimate indicator of a successful resolution to the conflict in the region. Organizing such a return is one of the government’s top priorities,” the document stated.



Where will Kalma’s residents go?



It is not yet clear where all the camp’s residents, some 82,000 people according to data derived from the World Food Programme’s (WFP) latest distribution in September, will end up.



Construction of a new site, a few kilometres away, near the village of Belail, is due to be completed in the next few months. It will have room for 3,000 households, or some 15,000 people, according to Sudanese authorities cited by a UN official.



The official said some 2,000 Kalma households have registered to move to the new site.



Another 2,000 households have taken part in a verification exercise before a possible return to their state of origin, West Darfur. Humanitarian agencies have begun assessing potential areas of return.



Will the relocation be voluntary?



Abdel Karim Mousa Abdel Karim, the deputy governor of South Darfur, said the government would ensure returns were voluntary, a condition also stressed in the new government policy for Darfur.



Asked whether this was an issue of concern, UN officials underlined that all resettlements should adhere to existing standards. These include Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which stress states’ obligation to provide security and a decent standard of living to IDPs, as well as the right of IDPs to “be protected against forcible return to or resettlement in any place where their life, safety, liberty and/or health would be at risk”.



Those unwilling to leave Kalma “should have the right to remain”, said one UN official.



In August, SLM leader Abdel Wahid Al-Nur was quoted as describing the planned closure of Kalma as a “provocation and an affront to humanity, and we caution against any participation [by UNAMID] in this Final Solution".



Will essential services be provided at the new site?



Yes, according to the government, whose Humanitarian Aid Commission is in talks with the UN and NGOs about the details of service provision.



After the clashes between Kalma residents in July, humanitarian access to the camp was greatly restricted for several weeks.



cp/am/mw



Related reports:

Thousands struggle to survive as Kalma aid cut off

Aid agencies granted access to Kalma amid expulsions