Refugees in Chad to be moved to safe locations

NAIROBI, Oct. 10, 2003 (IRIN) — Amid signs that a ceasefire in the Darfur region of western Sudan may be “ending prematurely”, tens of thousands of refugees who have fled to eastern Chad have to be transferred to “new, safer locations”, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has said.

UNHCR staff are currently looking for safe sites where water will be available once the dry season starts next month. A number of places have been suggested by local authorities, but are either too close to the border or without a ready supply of water, the agency said in a statement on Thursday. In the meantime, it is looking for sites to set up communal kitchens.

A 45-day ceasefire agreement signed by the government and rebel Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) in Darfur became effective on 6 September, but both sides have since accused each other of breaching the truce.

Around Birak and Adre, where between 12,000 and 15,000 refugees are camped, several cross-border militia raids have been reported, reaching as far as 40 km from the border. “The UNHCR team was told that refugees with livestock were particularly at risk as raiders were on the lookout for animals, among other property,” the statement said.

Chadian authorities have deployed military personnel to protect the refugees, some of whom have said they would feel safer with an increased military presence in the area, rather than being moved further inland, UNHCR reported.

While no aerial bombardments have been reported by the refugees since mid-September, Arab militias known as ‘Janjaweed’ are reportedly continuing to burn villages to the ground in Darfur, killing inhabitants and pushing villagers towards town centres.

There have also been reports of landmine incidents along the border area around Iribe, west of Tine, in which at least two children were injured, UNHCR said.

Meanwhile, the SLM/A rebel group has been spotted “stocking up on supplies” in the Chadian border town of Tine, which hosts about 28,000 refugees, UNHCR reported.

Poor security has prevented UNHCR from reaching some of the refugees, whose precise number is unknown but is estimated at around 75,000.