El Fasher, 28 August 2011 – The Governor of South Darfur, invoking the spirit of the Muslim Holy Feast of Eid, granted
amnesty to five local Sheikhs sheltering in UNAMID’s Community Policing Centre (CPC) near the Kalma Camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) for over a year, ever since local authorities sought to arrest them for alleged criminal activities.The camp, the largest in Darfur, was riven by violence at the time of the events.

As the Sheikhs said they feared for their life, UNAMID declined to turn them over when requested to do so by the authorities,citing its obligations under its mandate to ensure that due process and the rights of individuals are upheld at all times.

UNAMID’s position was, at times, a source of friction between the Mission and the authorities. UNAMID’s Joint Special
Representative, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, spared no effort to reduce the level of tension and held extensive discussions with Sudanese officials over the issue, both at South Darfur state level and at national level in separate meetings with Interior Minister Mr. Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid and Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Mutrif Siddiq, earlier this month.

Governor Abdul Hamid Musa Kasha said he believed the granting of amnesty to the five would enhance the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and encourage reconciliation among residents of Kalma Camp

Following the amnesty declaration, JSR Gambari expressed his profound appreciation to the Wali (Governor) of South Darfur and to the Government of the Sudan, for the peaceful resolution of the matter. He said “our approach of patience and persistence in handling this matter has produced a win-win and peaceful resolution”, based on the good cooperation and working relations established between UNAMID and the Sudanese authorities notably, in this case, in South Darfur.

The JSR appealed to the Sheikhs to be of good behavior while encouraging them to play a constructive role in the peace process and national reconciliation, especially in the spirit of Ramadan and the Holy Feast of Eid.