Christian charities turn over Darfur camp to locals

By Francis Helguero, The Christian Post

KALMA CAMP, South Darfur, July 19, 2005 — At a symbolically important ceremony in troubled Darfur, Sudan this weekend, Christian aid groups turned over control of a refugee camp to a local organization.

women and children travel towards Kalma camp.

ACT/Caritas and Norwegian Church Aid congratulated the Sudanese Development Organization for being awarded responsibility of managing the Belil Camp in the southeast Darfur region.

In a statement, NCA noted that Saturday’s ceremony can be seen as a precursor to a major change in how the war affected people in Darfur will be assisted.

ACT/ Caritas intends that when the regional conflict is resolved, that “ownership” of the entire relief operation can be transfered to Sudanese-run organizations.

About 17,000 people live in Belil. It is located on the outskirts of Kalma Camp, the world’s largest camp for internally displaced people. Many of the people in Belil came from South Sudan, fleeing a civil war which has only recently draw to a close.

However, as people fled one situation, little did they know that they would be heading into another hotspot of conflict. The Darfur conflict in eastern Sudan between government sponsored militias and rebel forces has killed nearly 200,000 people. Many have died brutally and the situation has been called a genocide by President George Bush.

The opposing groups in Darfur have also agreed to a roadmap for peace but many details are still unresolved. In the meantime, extreme poverty and starvation are still real dangers.

Despite some very somber realities, Sudanese aid workers are hopeful that things will improve.

Humanitarian Aid Commission of Sudan (HAC) representative, Shaef El Nur who cut the ribbon across the entrance to the Belil camp and declared new management offices officially open said, “The efforts and cooperation we see here is a symbol of peace.”

Health is a primary consideration for those living in the camp, with flies being a significant cause of disease in children. SUDO regional manager Bushra Gamar said that he soon would be sending qualified staff to rid the camp of the pests.

ACT/Caritas had been providing aid to the camp for more than a year. As new people take over the camp and its responsibilities, Per Nordmark, a special advisor for the ACT/Caritas operation is confident that they will be able to manage well.

“Camp management is a big responsibility, but SUDO is fully capable of this enormous task. What we see in Belil is a grand example of the work the Sudanese themselves are doing to care for their nationals, who have been victimized by the conflict in Darfur,” he said.