Frustration high among youth in South Darfur’s Kalma camp

The youth of Kalma camp in South Darfur are suffering from unemployment, a lack of educational opportunities, anxiety and depression. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, Yagoub Mohamed Abdallah, the representative of the Kalma camp youth said that the situation for young people of both sexes in the camp is very bad.“We live under various pressures: a lack of job opportunities, educational opportunities, and of money with which they could travel to the large cities outside Darfur in search of a job. Many are suffering from anxiety and depressions. The general insecurity in the area doesn’t help much too.” The youth leader pointed to the “feelings of being detained within the camp” many youngsters in the camp experience. Forces and employees of the ruling National Congress Party exclude them from any job opportunity, Abdallah explained. “And when the youngsters leave the camp to collect firewood for example, they are running the risk of being bullied by government-backed militiaman.” The situation makes them feel that they treated unjustly, according to the youth leader. He pointed out that the expulsion of organisations by the “Khartoum regime” has reflected negatively on the displaced “because they used to provide them with basic services and employment opportunities”. In 2009 Khartoum expelled 13 international aid organisations, and closed three Sudanese organisations working in Darfur, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al Bashir on charges of war crimes.  File photo: Participants of the Youth Volunteers Rebuilding Darfur Project in Nyala, South Darfur, receive training at the Nyala Technical College, 2013 (Albert González Farran/Unamid)