South Darfur wali demands aid for Gireida fire victims

Mousa Mahdi, the wali (governor) of South Darfur, said that the losses and damage due to the Gireida fire amount to SDG 200 million according to initial estimates. The wali has called on humanitarian and governmental organisations to provide support to the 3,500 displaced people who have been affected.

In a press conference organised by the Popular Initiative for Relief of Gireida Fire Victims, Mahdi called for the mobilisation of organisations and for the government to stand with those affected by the Gireida fire that occurred last week.

The wali further explained that those affected are living in poor humanitarian conditions. He said that a delegation is travelling to Khartoum to discuss what support is needed.

Hashim Abdelrahman from the Popular Initiative for Relief of Gireida Fire Victims stressed the necessity of finding a ‘radical solution’ to the frequent and successive fires inside the refugee camps. He also pointed out that the fire destroyed 500 tons of crops.

Abdelrahman said that the initiative aims to plan the camps in a modern and responsible manner to avoid major losses due to the fires. He also stressed the need to raise awareness among the displaced regarding fire prevention and called for the use of modern methods of storing crops, explaining that storing agricultural residues forms a fire hazard.

Yagoub El Malik from the Popular Initiative for Relief of Gireida Fire Victims confirmed that the fire was caused by accident and denied the existence of any suspicion of criminal activity.

In need of humanitarian aid

El Malik issued a distress call to all governmental and international institutions to provide relief to the victims as he pointed to the death of 14 people and over 3000 thousand livestock. He appealed to all parties to provide shelter, food, medicine, and clothing.

Yesterday, Radio Dabanga reported that affected families are living in the open sun during the current month of Ramadan.

Doctor Ikram El Doma stressed that victims are in need of safe drinking water, basic food provisions, and shelter. She also called for the improvement and up-scaling of t basic health care services in the shelters for the displaced.

The doctor stressed the need to secure stocks of medicines and health supplies and provide preventive health services and epidemic control services. She also called for the quick disposal of dead animals to avoid the spread of infections.

El Doma further called for the formation of health awareness committees and the establishment of health monitoring centres and appealed to the organisation of human resources and the appointment of supervisors, in coordination with the local authorities, to avert the disaster that afflicted the region.