South Darfur Wali meets UN aid agencies to restore services to 7,800 Mershing displaced

The acting Wali (Governor) of South Darfur, Maj Gen Hashim Khalid, held at meeting in Nyala on Tuesday with UN agencies operating in the state, with Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Salih Abdelrahman in attendance, to discuss the restoration of services and food to 7,800 displaced people in Mershing locality.

Humanitarian services were suspended after unrest and violence in September, when displaced people in Mershing camp staged mass demonstrations to protest the killing of three displaced people and the wounding of four others by two gunmen wearing uniforms of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In subsequent shooting, Hashim Karameldin and Radwan Abdelrahman died.

The aftermath of the incident led to the burning of the police and security offices by the demonstrators.

Maj Gen Hashim told the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) that the organisations provide food to 7,800 displaced people in the area, and Tuesday’s meeting centred on consultation and reflection on the return of work.

Hashim say that the meeting drew up a joint delegation from the state government, the Humanitarian Aid Commission and organisations to visit Mershing today, to sit down with civil administrations and public and officials to discuss ways of how to work safeguards, as well as assisting organisations in providing services to the displaced.

He said the relief action plan of the humanitarian organisations agrees with the South Darfur government plan. He stressed that the plan for 2020 will involve organisations in the budget, especially as there is substantial development work to be implemented in areas of voluntary return after Unamid’s exit and the return of displaced from the camps to their original areas. This will include health services, water, electricity and other services.

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