Conflicting reports on soaring number of South Darfur’s newly displaced

02/08/2013 20:58

The government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) announced that according to a recent survey, South Darfur has received a total of 811,675 newly displaced between January and July. However, a source affirmed to Radio Dabanga that no such survey was carried out and that South Darfur has received 242,000 new displaced persons during that same period.HAC commissioner for South Darfur, Jamal Youssef, told Radio Dabanga that a survey was conducted in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in the past seven months, between January and July, in a number of camps in the state. He affirms that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) “acknowledged the result”.Nevertheless, Youssef said that the UNHCR and another agency will revise the result of the survey, “which may show an increase or decrease to the final number.”He also disclosed that joint efforts between the Ministry of Interior and the Office of the Federal Commission ─under HAC’s supervision─ are underway to provide assistance to the newly displaced. “The UNHCR has distributed about 1,500 plastic sheets to the newly displaced in South Darfur. The support offered by national organisations is ‘modest,’” he noted.242,000For his part, Hussein Abu Sharati, spokesman for the Association of Displaced persons and Refugees of Darfur, denied that HAC conducted “any survey on the newly displaced people between January and July.”He expressed “surprise” to Radio Dabanga about the number of newly displaced as announced by HAC and affirmed that South Darfur received 242,000 new displaced persons this year so far.Abu Sharati added: “Actually, the new displaced persons who arrived at camps Sakla, Attash, Kalma and El Salam in the last three months have not yet been accounted for by anyone. Their situation is tragic. They do not have food and live out in the open being exposed to rains and to the sun heat.”File photo: A woman builds her new shelter in Damra Toma (North Darfur) (Albert González Farran/Unamid)

The government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) announced that according to a recent survey, South Darfur has received a total of 811,675 newly displaced between January and July. However, a source affirmed to Radio Dabanga that no such survey was carried out and that South Darfur has received 242,000 new displaced persons during that same period.

HAC commissioner for South Darfur, Jamal Youssef, told Radio Dabanga that a survey was conducted in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in the past seven months, between January and July, in a number of camps in the state. He affirms that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) “acknowledged the result”.

Nevertheless, Youssef said that the UNHCR and another agency will revise the result of the survey, “which may show an increase or decrease to the final number.”

He also disclosed that joint efforts between the Ministry of Interior and the Office of the Federal Commission ─under HAC’s supervision─ are underway to provide assistance to the newly displaced. “The UNHCR has distributed about 1,500 plastic sheets to the newly displaced in South Darfur. The support offered by national organisations is ‘modest,’” he noted.

242,000

For his part, Hussein Abu Sharati, spokesman for the Association of Displaced persons and Refugees of Darfur, denied that HAC conducted “any survey on the newly displaced people between January and July.”

He expressed “surprise” to Radio Dabanga about the number of newly displaced as announced by HAC and affirmed that South Darfur received 242,000 new displaced persons this year so far.

Abu Sharati added: “Actually, the new displaced persons who arrived at camps Sakla, Attash, Kalma and El Salam in the last three months have not yet been accounted for by anyone. Their situation is tragic. They do not have food and live out in the open being exposed to rains and to the sun heat.”

File photo: A woman builds her new shelter in Damra Toma (North Darfur) (Albert González Farran/Unamid)