{"id":20071091,"date":"2024-02-06T22:47:28","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T21:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20071091"},"modified":"2024-04-15T19:11:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T17:11:24","slug":"msf-darfur-displaced-in-catastrophic-humanitarian-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/msf-darfur-displaced-in-catastrophic-humanitarian-conditions","title":{"rendered":"MSF: Darfur displaced in ‘catastrophic’ humanitarian conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Zamzam camp in North Darfur is in a \u201ccatastrophic situation,\u201d reports M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF). The security and humanitarian situation in Central Darfur \u201ccontinues to deteriorate.\u201d The Camps Administration for Displaced People in South Darfur has expressed great concern about \u201cthe catastrophic and terrible humanitarian situation\u201d of displaced and refugees.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MSF reported yesterday that \u201call emergency thresholds for malnutrition have been reached\u201d in Zamzam camp. The camp \u201crequires an urgent humanitarian response as an estimated one child is dying every two hours\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The press release noted the high mortality rates and severe living conditions in the camp. \u201cThe total number of deaths in the camp per day was also cause for extreme alarm, with a crude mortality rate of 2.5 per 10,000 people per day,\u201d reported MSF.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConditions in the camp are atrocious: as well as no healthcare apart from the MSF clinic, there is also no clean water supply. People are drinking either from the swamps or the river, which can cause severe diarrhoea.\u201d The World Food Programme<\/a> has allegedly been unable to distribute food since May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“An estimated one child is dying every two hours.\u201d <\/p>\nMSF<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Co-chairs of Team ZamZam, a rehabilitation and counselling service<\/a> organised by members of the camp, made a statement about the crisis today. \u201cFood and water supplies are not nearly adequate for this vast population and famine and widespread disease from the drinking of contaminated water are bearing down hard on these displaced people,\u201d they said. The organisation is also providing monthly distributions of food and rehabilitating wells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MSF called for the \u201cmass mobilisation of the international community to save lives.\u201d Mid-October, the International President of MSF, Dr Christos Christou, said in a press statement<\/a> that the Sudan crisis demonstrates a \u201ccatastrophic failure of humanity.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Darfur<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Camps Administration for Displaced People in South Darfur said in a statement yesterday: \u201cFor the first time, we feel that all our people are in terrible danger and have been sentenced to death.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The community leaders urged the authorities \u201cto save the remaining displaced people and refugees in South Darfur camps who are suffering from severe hunger, which kills dozens of them daily.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement called on Minni Minawi, governor of the Darfur region, to fully coordinate with the army and RSF to enable the delivery of aid, blocked by insecurity on the roads. \u201cBureaucratic and insecurity-related challenges impeding food assistance deliveries\u201d have worsened an \u201calready severe\u201d food security situation<\/a> in Sudan, reported the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) on Thursday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cFor the first time, we feel that all our people are in terrible danger and have been sentenced to death.\u201d <\/p>\nCamps Administration for Displaced People in South Darfur<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The camps administration also urged the joint force of rebel movements<\/a> in Darfur and the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner in South Darfur to help secure the arrival of humanitarian relief from El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, to South Darfur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe aid items should be distributed directly to the people in the camps instead of storing them for long periods,\u201d said the statement. Community leaders \u201cstand ready\u201d to assist in the distribution operations, \u201cto ensure the survival of entire families who may starve to death if they do not receive aid soon.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, Shamseldin Saleh, a political activist, told Radio Dabanga of the dire situation<\/a> in Kalma and other camps across South Darfur. Amid the ongoing war, humanitarian relief efforts have stalled, and hunger levels continue to intensify.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Central Darfur<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheikh Abdelrazeg Yousef, a community leader, told Radio Dabanga yesterday that insecurity is \u201cdevastating\u201d in the Hamidiya camp for the displaced.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA camp resident was recently killed, and dozens of displaced women were physically and sexually assaulted, in particular on their way to the north of the city where they collect firewood. Men are often beaten up. We regularly hear gunfire near the Hamidiaya and Khamsa Dagayeg camps. Several vehicles have been stolen,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The displaced community leader appealed to the RSF \u201cto protect civilians in Central Darfur, especially in the capital Zalingei.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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Person sustains head injury in Hasaheisa camp in Central Darfur (Photo: RD)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yousef said that the humanitarian situation is \u201cdisastrous\u201d in Zalingei and neighbouring camps. \u201cMany people are malnourished. Since last week, diarrhoea has spread among children and the elderly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who fled to the Hasaheisa camp are lacking shelter materials such as tarpaulins and blankets, Yousef said and pointed to the obstruction of food aid to Central Darfur and demanded that this stop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Displaced people in Central Darfur complain about continued fragility in the capital and across the state, after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took over Zalingei<\/a> on October 31 last year following months of fighting<\/a> with the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF). The RSF controls large parts of Central Darfur, while combatants of the Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid Nur (SLM-AW) have taken control of Nierteti and surrounding areas<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ongoing battles between the Sudan army and RSF in the camps for displaced people around Zalingei claimed the lives of at least 202 civilians between April 15 and August 27, according to Sheikh Abdelrazeg Suleiman, a coordinator of the Zalingei camps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

End August, Sheikh Suleiman told Radio Dabanga that El Hasaheisa and El Hamidiya camps in Zalingei were overcrowded after an influx of people from Zalingei<\/a> neighbourhoods during the fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“About 25 million people including 14 million children are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan,” a group of UN experts reported on Thursday. “We call for increased funding for civil society to assist victims and for humanitarian response to provide life-saving assistance,” they said, warning that the appeal was only 3.1 per cent funded<\/a>.<\/p>\n