Fears Janjaweed will turn on Sudanese government if they try to take their arms by force

May 21, 2006 Observer report by Xan Rice in Um Jalbakh, Darfur - excerpt:

The Janjaweed is not an army,' said Eltayeb Hag Ateya, director of the Peace Research Institute at Khartoum University. 'It's more dangerous than that. It's a concept, a blanket. Some are pro-government, some are bandits, and some are mercenaries.

'The peace agreement says the government should disarm them all, but that's impossible. Not all are under its control - some are even against it.'

'They [the Janjaweed] have major psychological problems with this disarmament issue and perhaps they are right,' said an African Union commander at a briefing last week, as a government representative listened uncomfortably. 'They were given arms by the government and killed on its behalf. If they put down their weapons now while the rebels are still armed, then what will happen to them?"

There is a very real fear that the Janjaweed, whose tribes were equally marginalised by Khartoum in the past, will turn on the government if they try to take their arms by force.

[via CFD via POTP with thanks]