‘Aid in warehouses, not distributed’: N. Darfur displaced

Although some agencies brought non-food items to Abu Gamra, North Darfur, displaced are complaining that everything was placed in warehouses instead of being distributed to them. These items, delivered in the beginning of this week, include sleeping mats, plastic tarps and blankets, they told radio Dabanga on Thursday. About 27.000 people who fled the tribal clashes between Abbala and Beni Hussein men are living in the rebel-controlled Abu Gamra at the moment, sources say.   The displaced stressed they received “only non-food items”so far and renewed their requests for humanitarian organizations to speed-up the provision of food, medicine and drinking water. “Inhumane” One of them stressed they are living in “inhumane, unhealthy and extremely difficult conditions”. Another person said the situation has become “unbearable” as over 27.000 people are living without food, water and medicine for several days. He acknowledged they need mattresses and blankets but stressed that they also need more food, water and medicine, especially for the children and the sick. According to testimonies, aid organizations announced they would return to Abu Gamra on Thursday to calculate the total amount of displaced and to distribute more aid. However, different sources told Radio Dabanga that nobody had returned until Thursday evening. SLM-MM The Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), who is in control of Abu Gamra, confirmed to Radio Dabanga that foreign organizations had delivered “non-food items” to the displaced living on the area. Adam Saleh, the movement’s spokesman, said aid arrived in two flights on 20 and 22 January.   He also confirmed that relief agencies postponed their return to Abu Gamra from Thursday to, “if possible”, Sunday.Radio Dabanga file photoRelated: 27.000 flee N. Darfur clashes to rebel-controlled area (17 January 2013)