Tens of thousands of new IDPs in South Darfur

NAIROBI, Sep 13, 2004 (IRIN) — Tens of thousands of newly displaced people
(IDPs) fleeing renewed violence in the Sudanese state of South Darfur have
arrived at the Gereida camp, 100 km south of the town of Nyala, the
international aid agency Oxfam Canada said.

“The camp population increased from 10,000 to 40,000 within seven days,”
Gemma Swart, Oxfam Canada communications officer in Sudan, told IRIN on
Monday. “There was increased violence in the rural areas around Gereida
which led to people fleeing their homes and coming into the camp.”

“They left quickly – some by donkey, others walking. Two children drowned
trying to cross a “wadi” [small river] at night,” she said. “Those who
arrived at the camp had nothing. I saw people trying to build shelters
using sticks they had collected from their neighbours,” Swart added.

The relief agency warned that the camp had been overwhelmed by the fresh
arrivals. Its population increased from 10,000 IDPs on 26 August to over
40,000 by 7 September. “People are still arriving every day,” Oxfam said
in a statement on Friday.

“Literally, tens of thousands of people have poured into the camp in
recent days and the flow still hasn’t stopped. A quadrupling of numbers
puts a massive strain on resources and infrastructure,” Oxfam said.

The United Nations in Sudan said the influx had resulted from security
problems in the area. “We have received reports from NGOs that there is a
fresh influx of IDPs into the camp,” Jennifer Abrahamson, spokesperson for
the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in
Sudan, told IRIN on Monday. “There are still security problems in that
area.”

Oxfam said most of the new arrivals had arrived in the camp between 28 and
30 August. “Oxfam is one of only two agencies working in the camp and the
new arrivals are currently without even the basics such as plastic
sheeting for shelter,” it said.

According to other relief workers, the IDPs have been fleeing continuing
clashes between Sudanese government forces and rebels who claim to be
fighting because Darfur region has been marginalised. They are also
fleeing attacks by Janjawid militia, who were initially armed by the
government to fight the rebels but have been accused by human rights
groups of turning their guns on civilians.

On 8 September, OCHA had reported that thousands of newly displaced
persons, reporting fresh hostilities, had arrived in a camp near El
Fasher, administrative capital of North Darfur State. It said the UN
refugee agency, UNHCR, and the Norwegian Refugee Council were following up
reports that a large number of new IDPs had also arrived in Kalma camp
from Yassin area, southeast of Nyala.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the United Nations Security
Council to increase the international presence in Darfur and impose an
extended arms embargo to stop continuing atrocities there.

In a letter to members of the Security Council, HRW also called on the
Security Council to establish an accountability mechanism and address
serious concerns posed by “safe areas” proposed for the region.

“The international community must demonstrate that it will not tolerate
continuing atrocities committed by Sudanese armed forces and allied
Janjawid militias,” Peter Takirambudde, executive director of HRW’s
division, said.

At least 1.2 million people in Darfur are internally displaced and another
200,000 have fled over the border into neighbouring Chad because of
attacks by the Janjawid and because of fighting between government
soldiers and rebels. According to the UN, Darfur is experiencing one of
the worst humanitarian crises in the world.