Displaced face long treks for scarce drinking water in South Darfur

Displaced people from camps in Marshang locality in South Darfur must travel several kilometres each in order to fetch drinking water. A displaced resident of Tom Kitir camp explained to Radio Dabanga that the complaint about the lack of drinking water is acute, however, he says, official complaints have not been met with any response. “The displaced must travel to the villages, where the price of a tank of water has risen to SDG7 ($1.60). Just like the displaced of other camps in the locality, residents of Tom Kitir must fetch water from Hillet Omer, which is several kilometres away. With the rising price, they are also finding it increasingly hard to afford.” The man likened it to the lack of plastic sheeting with the rainy season upon them. “Although we are thirsty and hungry, nobody seems to pay us any attention. The (humanitarian and aid) organisations have reduced our corn ration that is distributed during each autumn and have threatened to stop it altogether next autumn.” He appealed to all organisations working in the humanitarian field to provide for the basic needs of the displaced people of Marshang locality including shelter, food and water. File photo: A Darfur woman fetches water (Albert González Farran/Unamid)