Harsh climate takes toll on shelter for Sudanese refugees in Chad

The Sudanese refugees of camp Oure Cassoni in eastern Chad have complained of the acute shortage of plastic sheets and tents. The sheikh of the camp, Adam Suleiman, told Radio Dabanga that the camp refugees are lack protection from the autumn rain as well as the summer heat. “The serviceability of the sheeting the refugees does not exceed a year because the camp is located in a desert area that is extremely hot in summer and cold in winter,” the sheikh explained. “The refugees have not received any new plastic sheets for about two years,” he said, calling on humanitarian organisations and the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to speed up their provision. Sheikh Suleiman says that about 8,000 new refugees, many of whom come from the outskirts of El Fasher in North Darfur, are living without food, shelter or medicine other than the assistance provided by the old refugees. On their behalf, he appealed to humanitarian organisations and the UNHCR to speed up the provision of housing to those refugees, as well as to register them to receive food. File photo: Sudanese refugee children in Chad