Difficult conditions in Darfur camps

Refugees complain of poor health, burglaries and attacks by Abu Tirat forces

Refugees in the camps of Darfur are struggling with poor health, looting and attacks, camp residents told Radio Dabanga on Tuesday.Poor health in Mornei

Camp residents in West Darfur’s Mornei camp complained of high infant mortality rate because of an outbreak of malaria and typhoid. Malnutrition is also a cause for high mortality rate among the young children.

One of the leaders in the refugee camp told Radio Dabanga, “There have been nine deaths in the last week, including six infants and two elderly persons.”

He described the health condition in the camp as deplorable owing to a high rate of infant mortality and deterioration of maternal health.

The refugees in the camp requested humanitarian as well as government organizations to pay attention to the issue at hand. They appealed for complete eradication of malaria in the camps with the help of mosquito nets and pesticides.

Burglary in Saraf Omra

On the other hand, refugees in North Darfur’s Saraf Omra camps are suffering from robberies at night. Sources revealed masked gunmen looting homes, shops and cattle at gunpoint.

Camp residents in Al Jabal, Udankhoj and Al Naseem told Radio Dabanga of an unprecedented rise in burglary by two-four militants during the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

One of the residents said, “More than 11 houses and shops have been looted in the three camps in the past two nights alone. Even shoes and clothes belonging to children have been looted.”

The displaced persons are now fearing an outbreak of the looting that used to be commonplace on the roads of Darfur to the camps in the area.

The displaced persons have appealed to the United Nations African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the Sudanese police to intensify night patrols in order to protect the lives and property of camp residents, one of the refugees told Radio Dabanga.

Abu Tirat excesses in Rwanda

Meanwhile, there has been an increase in firing carried out by the Central Reserve Forces, or Abu Tirat as they are commonly known, in North Darfur’s Rwanda camp in Tawila locality.

A leader of the displaced persons told Radio Dabanga, “Abu Tirat men open fire at the camp from their headquarters, using heavy artillery and RPGs. This is accompanied by cheering from large crowds of the Abu Tirat forces located on the ground. All of this is adding to an atmosphere of fear and panic among the camp population.”

While claiming that gunfire continued during the day on Monday and Tuesday, the camp leader explained that a constant fear of attack is adding anxiety to the lives of the refugees in the camp.

He appealed to Abu Tirat forces to put an end to such horror that causes panic. He also appealed to the UNAMID forces to intervene in order to protect them from the attacks, that caused the death of a refugee on Eid ul-Fitr.