There is an influx of new arrivals into the Otash camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP). Their tales are as varied as their numbers. Although they have found a new home at the Otash camp, memories of recent experiences remain.
Sixty-year-old Abdallah Khatib* is a village elder at Otash camp. He is a new arrival. As he shares his sad story, about 30 other men passionately join in to help him narrate. The men clad in flowing white robes all talk animatedly.
One morning at dawn, an armed group of more than 1,000 people invaded Abdallah’s village, shooting indiscriminately, setting homes on fire and stealing everything.
“Eighty people were killed in the attack,” says Abdallah, “in which 47 villages were burnt and 3,000 livestock stolen.” Each village had between 50 and 100 houses.
He says the attackers, all well known to them, were in vehicles, while others rode on horses and camels.
“Some of the vehicles had huge guns mounted on them,” he recalls.
While they had been attacked before in August of this year, the raid on the 9 September compelled them to leave.
“ In the last attack I lost more than ten close relatives,” Sheikh Abdallah says.
Most of those killed, panicked and did not flee when they realised gunfire was surrounding them.
“It is unfortunate we did not have guns or any means to defend ourselves. Knowing the surroundings well, some of us were lucky enough to run away quickly and hide,” he says.
“The worst thing was that they killed women and children indiscriminately,” said another village elder. Some, he continues, were captured and burnt alive.
“I lost everything! I had a shop, a good car and a stable home before the attack,” the man adds although he is thankful that his wife and children survived and are with him at the camp.
“New arrivals are currently being registered by World Vision to enable them to receive support,” the elder says. World Vision supports 19 camps in South Darfur, including this Otash.
When asked if they can go back, Abdallah is categorical that he cannot go back as long as the problem of security remains unsolved.
“How can we go back? I did not voluntarily move from my house. Moving back will only be dependent on the underlying problem getting solved,” he says.
*Names in this article have been changed
24 November 2006
