REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, GENEINAN -- Sudanese President Omar al- Bashir on Saturday declared a plan to collect arms from the citizens in Darfur, noting that the arms would be carried by the regular forces only.
"Arms will be carried by the army and regular forces only," said al-Bashir when addressing a mass rally in Geneina, capital of West Darfur State.
He said the arms would be collected in two phases, the first through financial compensation for each piece and the second through a compulsory law and punishing the violators.
Al-Bashir further expressed his country's unwillingness for presence of international organizations in Darfur, saying "we do not want organizations any more. Thanks to them. We are the ones who support and aid the people, not to be aided."
On Friday, the president started a tour to Darfur's five states, only few days ahead of the referendum.
Al-Bashir's visit to Darfur region is the first since the general elections conducted in April 2015, when he made a similar tour to the region.
He is scheduled to address people's rallies in the capitals of the region's five states, and meet political and tribal leaders besides representatives of different sectors and civil society organizations.
Major Darfur rebel movements reject the referendum unless Khartoum fulfills other demands including reaching a political agreement with the region's armed groups and paying compensations for the people affected by the conflict.
The Sudanese government stressed that the referendum is a constitutional right that must be implemented according to Abuja peace deal which Khartoum signed with the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)/ Minni Minnawi faction in 2006.
The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, signed between the government and the Liberation and Justice Movement in 2011, stipulates conduction of a referendum in Darfur, and that its result is to be included in the country's permanent constitution.
According to the deal, if the Darfur people vote for merging the states into one region, the TDRA shall form a constitutional committee to determine the powers of Darfur's regional governments.
However, if the Darfur people vote against the option of one region, the agreement stipulates that the current administrative status of five states shall remain and the TDRA shall be dissolved.
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