U.N. wants armed rebels out of Chad refugee camps

(CNN) -- The U.N. refugee agency on Friday said it is "very disturbed by reports of ongoing infiltration of armed Sudanese rebels inside and near some refugee camps in eastern Chad and fear further recruitment of refugees for military activities."

"We strongly condemn the infiltration of refugee camps by any military presence. This situation is totally unacceptable. It violates the civilian and humanitarian character of the refugee camps and risks making refugees and humanitarian workers a target."

The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees issued the comments on the same day Human Rights Watch issued a report gathered from witnesses of massacres in Chad by janjaweed militias from Sudan.(CNN's Nic Robertson tells what it's like to know you can be shot for your car)

All of this stems from the conflict and accompanying humanitarian disaster in the western Sudanese region of Darfur. It is a tragedy that has been unfolding for the last few years.

Rebels took up arms in ethnically mixed Darfur, an arid region the size of France, over what they saw as neglect and mistreatment by the Arab-dominated central government.

About 180,000 people have been killed and 2 million others forced from their homes since the rebels began fighting in February 2003, and the Arab janjaweed militias have systematically raped women and pillaged entire villages in a campaign the United States has branded "genocide."

Thousands of Darfur refugees have sought shelter in Chad, which accuses Sudan of supporting Chadian rebels. Sudan, in turn, says Chad is backing Darfur rebels. (Sudanese rebels kidnapping children from camps to fight)

Sudan has been accused of backing the janjaweed, but says it isn't doing so. However, disarming the janjaweed is part of a Darfur peace deal reached earlier this month in the Nigerian capital of Abuja between Sudan and the main Darfur rebel group.

Rebels seen 'in broad daylight'

Describing the latest reports of refugee camp infiltration, UNHCR said "men identified as belonging to a Sudanese rebel armed movement were spotted earlier this week in the northern Oure Cassoni camp" near the Sudanese border.

"The camp, which shelters some 27,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur, has been suspected of being used as a rest and recuperation base for Sudanese rebels. This is the first time however, that rebels have been seen so openly in broad daylight, in vehicles and walking around the camp," the UNHCR said in a statement.

"We immediately informed the local authorities about the infiltration. On Wednesday and Thursday we met with our implementing partners, local authorities, camp gendarmes and refugee leaders. The refugees were clearly reminded of their rights, duties and obligation not to engage in political nor military activity in Chad and most specifically not in the camps."

The agency urged authorities in Chad, rebel groups and refugees "that infiltration of the camps cannot continue. If not stopped, it could result in the suspension of humanitarian activities."

UNHCR -- which previously deplored "the infiltration of rebel military groups in other refugee camps in eastern Chad -- said there are over 200,000 refugees from Darfur in twelve camps in eastern Chad.

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