Sudanese refugees in Chad face bleak Ramadan

The Sudanese refugees at the camps in eastern Chad are facing the month of Ramadan with a shortage of food rations. Commodity prices are also rising at the markets. Haider Suleiman Gardia, the head of camp Toulom, appealed via Radio Dabanga to humanitarian organisations and the World Food Programme (WFP) to take make special consideration for the holy month of Ramadan by increasing food rations for the refugees. “Monthly food rations have been reduced to a cup of sugar, a bottle of oil and 450 grams of millet for a household of five,” he explained. “The market process prices for dates, sugar and oil are very high, and not affordable to refugees,” Gardia said. Sheikh Issa Tijani, the head of camp Kounongou reported to Radio Dabanga that most of the needs of Ramadan are lacking at markets near the camp, explaining that the refugees cannot afford to purchase the available goods due to the high prices.“Sugar and date prices now range between SDG3000-4000 ($680-$900),” he explained, echoing Gardia’s appeal to humanitarian organisations and the WFP to increase the food rations for refugees during the holy month of Ramadan. File photo Related: Harsh climate takes toll on shelter for Sudanese refugees in Chad (1 July 2013) Reduced WFP rations for Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad (20 May 2013) UNHCR ‘in race against time’ to deliver aid to Sudanese refugees in Chad (17 May 2013)