Food rations reduced for North Darfur displaced

The residents of the Kabkabiya camps in North Darfur for the displaced are suffering from rampant insecurity, an acute shortage of food, and increasing prices, due to the closure of the main roads for lorries and buses, in addition to a reduction in food rations.  The sheikh of the Sibag El Kheil camp explained to Radio Dabanga that the monthly food rations to the 490,016 registered residents of the Kabkabiya camps have been reduced from one sack of wheat or sorghum per four people to two bowls per person. The price of a 100kg sack of sugar has risen from SDG280 to SDG340 ($60), a wholesale tin of oil from SDG240 to SDG300 ($52), a pound of dry tomatoes from SDG4 to SDG8 ($1.40), a pound of dry okra from SDG8 to SDG16 ($2.80) and a bowl of grain from SDG15 to SDG21 ($3.70), according to the sheikh. The camp sheikh noted that the people also fear to go out to collect firewood and straw, or to cultivate their lands because of the lack of security. He appealed to the UN and the AU to “speed up finding the appropriate solutions for the protection of the displaced” and review the quantities of the food rations. File photo Related: Humanitarian situation in Central Darfur camps heading towards catastrophe: coordinator (15 December 2013)’Extreme difficulties’ in Central Darfur camps: spokesperson (10 December 2013)‘More than six million Sudanese in need; aid down by 25%’: report (9 December 2013)