‘Food shortages and suffering for 129,000 displaced in South Darfur’: HAC

The Humanitarian Aid Commissioner (HAC) for Girayda locality in South Darfur, El Tayeb Suleiman, has acknowledged that more than 129,000 displaced persons in the locality are facing “a shortage of food and real suffering”. Suleiman told Radio Dabanga that the displaced have not received any food rations since July, and have been sharing what little they have left. He warned that “a humanitarian disaster might occur in the locality, because the population have not been able to farm their lands this year due to security instability,” referring to the deaths of more than 16 farmers in attacks. The commissioner also confirmed that the World Food Programme (WFP) required the displaced to provide a barrel of petrol for each of the 23 trucks that must transport the food. This has been echoed by reports from the Girayda displaced. The commissioner demanded the state authorities “put pressure on the WFP to compel the drivers to deliver the food to the displaced”. Evacuation The administration of Girayda locality has reportedly given the displaced of Tumbasi camp three days to evacuate it under the pretext of “planning”. A displaced resident confirmed to Radio Dabanga that staff from the Survey Department accompanied by a number of policemen came to the camp and offered them two options: either to return to their villages or to move to the vicinity of the camp Donki Abyed, 5km from Girayda city. The resident said that they have been living in the area for ten years, which makes them “eligible for land ownership in the event the area is planned”. Teachers Separately, primary school teachers in Girayda have complained of non-payment of their salaries for two consecutive months. A teacher explained to Radio Dabanga that all the primary school teachers of the locality have not received their salaries for July and August, while their secondary school colleagues have. A statement by Girayda’s primary school teachers said they plan to embark on an open-ended sit-in protest if their salaries are not paid by 8 September, and will stop work completely should payment not be received by 21 September. File photo: Women transporting food in Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid)