17,000 IDPs and refugees at risk in remote S. Darfur area

December 1, 2014 (NYALA) – Over 17,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are facing tough humanitarian conditions in the remote South Darfur area of Um Dafug near the border with the Central African Republic (CAR), a local official told Sudan Tribune on Monday.

Tribal clashes in Central Darfur state forced some 9800 people to flee their village to Um Dafug. Also, the district received over 1,200 refugees from the CAR. Further to around 6,000 Sudanese who moved back to their country as result of the sectarian fighting in the troubled neighboring country.

The commissioner of Um Dafug Mohamed Ali Sharif, told Sudan Tribune on Monday that the county is harbouring over 17,000 people including IDPs, refugees and returnees who fled the violence between Christian and Muslim militias in the CAR.

“All of them are living in miserable humanitarian conditions. The IDPs and refugees are in desperate need of basic services including life-saving food, health and the environment services as well as shelter materials,” Sharif said.

The commissioner said they handed over to the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in South Darfur a report detailing all the humanitarian needs adding they held a meeting with all the humanitarian organisations in the state to brief them about the situation. He said some aid groups visited the district to assess the humanitarian needs.

He said that the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) delivered on Monday humanitarian assistance to the needy in Um Dafug.

He also praised the efforts exerted by the humanitarian groups in the state expressing hope to provide all the necessary needs for the affected population.

UN office for the coordination of Humanitarian affairs (OCHA), HAC and aid groups dispatched an inter-agency assessment mission to the area on 2 November.

During the visit the mission noted the growing pressure on public services available in the small county, pointing to the importance of increasing the workers in the field of health, medicine, management of diseases and malnutrition.

They also underlined the need to provide sufficient quantities of potable water, and erecting safe sanitation facilities. “66 per cent of people in Um Dafug practice open defecation”, said the inter-agency report.

The team also said there is a need to distribute shelter and essential household items for all affected people.

(ST)