38,000 displaced in Central Darfur’s Jebel Marra need aid

The humanitarian situation of thousands of newly displaced people in northern Jebel Marra’s Fanga Suk, Abunga and Niscam villages, as well as in Rokoro town is dire.

According to the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), an estimated 38,000 displaced are in need of humanitarian aid, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan reported in its latest weekly bulletin.

The people fled their homes between February and May following fighting in the area, and have yet to receive assistance. The ongoing rainy season has further deteriorated the already precarious living conditions.

They are in urgent need of emergency shelters and household supplies, water, sanitation as well as health and education services, HAC said.

As there are no functioning health facilities in the areas, the displaced have to seek health services in El Fasher and Tawila towns, covering a distance of approximately 60 kilometres. 

The people have to collect water from unsafe water sources such as valleys and springs. Furthermore, there are no latrines in the areas of displacement. 

HAC plans to provide health, education, and livelihood services as well as emergency shelters and household distributions to affected populations in the locality from Fanga Suk village.

Aid organisations have not been able to access northern Jebel Marra since 2006. Requests for access were denied by the authorities because of the insecure situation and poor road conditions.