‘Situation significantly worsened for Darfur displaced’: Omda

The humanitarian situation in the North Darfur camps for the displaced has significantly worsened after the Sudanese government’s expulsion of international relief organisations from Darfur in 2009. Omda Ahmed Ateem, the coordinator of the North Darfur camps explained to Radio Dabanga that the humanitarian situation has deteriorated to a large extent after the government expelled most of the foreign aid organisations in 2009.”The expulsion can be considered a final death penalty for the displaced, after having been displaced by weapons.” The Omda also criticised the reduction of food rations and the changing of the card system during which many names of camp residents disappeared from the food ration lists. “Many camp residents are no longer receiving food.” Ateem also criticised the policy of delivery and distribution of food by traders, “which led to the doubling of the suffering of the displaced”. The camp residents received vouchers with which they can fetch particular commodities in shops. With regularly increasing prices the traders are losing money or the displaced have to pay extra. The shop owners also do not have all commodities in stock, owing to irregular supplies. The Omda criticised Unamid too and accused the mission of failing to protect the displaced. “If they cannot even protect themselves, how could they protect the displaced?” According to Ateem, the UN Security Council made a mistake when it mandated the African Union form Unamid. He called on the UN Security Council to hold Unamid accountable for not providing security to the displaced in the camps and the civilians in Darfur. He appealed to the Security Council to “listen more to the displaced” and allow them to report about their situation, complementary to the Unamid reports. File photo: A camp for the displaced in Darfur (Albert González Farran / Unamid) Related: More than 1,000 Darfuri displaced attend Kalma conference (1 January 2013) Association of Displaced condemns killing of Darfur peacekeepers (31 December 2013) Two UN peacekeepers killed in ‘cowardly attack’ on South Darfur convoy (30 December 2013)