Arabs pile into Darfur to take land 'cleansed' by janjaweed

[babsbunny]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article2768232.ece

By Steve Bloomfield, Africa Correspondent
Published: 14 July 2007
Arabs from Chad and Niger are crossing into Darfur in "unprecedented" numbers, prompting claims that the Sudanese government is trying systematically to repopulate the war- ravaged region.

An internal UN report, obtained by The Independent, shows that up to 30,000 Arabs have crossed the border in the past two months. Most arrived with all their belongings and large flocks. They were greeted by Sudanese Arabs who took them to empty villages cleared by government and janjaweed forces.

One UN official said the process "appeared to have been well planned". The official continued: "This movement is very large. We have not seen such numbers come into west Darfur before."