Sudanese refugees face starvation in Chad camps
Sudanese refugees in the camps of eastern Chad say that their overall situation is deteriorating rapidly after the reduction in food rations, health and educational services, by international relief organisations.Sheikh Eisa Tijani, the head of the Kounongou camp, told Radio Dabanga that international organisations’ decision to reduce the budget since the beginning of this year will lead to starvation. He described the arguments for the reduction as “flimsy”. “They told us that donors have failed to pay and that other conflict zones emerged in the world.” He called the budget cuts “inhumane”, “considering that the world and its institutions are fully aware of the reasons that forced us to flee from our homes. We get the idea that the whole world is fighting us in the same way as Omar Al Bashir.” The sheikh explained that there are no jobs or other sources of income in eastern Chad. “So how can they request us to rely on ourselves?” He appealed the international community and the UN Security Council to bear their responsibilities and supply the refugees in eastern Chad with the basic needs for life. File photo: A refugee in Chad selling home-made peanut butter (Radio Dabanga) Related:UNHCR discusses future with refugees in Chad (29 January 2014)WFP stops food rations for Gaga refugee camp in Chad: Sheikh (22 January 2014)‘Once Darfur is secure again, refugees will return by themselves’: Chad camp head (8 January 2014)
Sudanese refugees in the camps of eastern Chad say that their overall situation is deteriorating rapidly after the reduction in food rations, health and educational services, by international relief organisations.
Sheikh Eisa Tijani, the head of the Kounongou camp, told Radio Dabanga that international organisations’ decision to reduce the budget since the beginning of this year will lead to starvation.
He described the arguments for the reduction as “flimsy”. “They told us that donors have failed to pay and that other conflict zones emerged in the world.”
He called the budget cuts “inhumane”, “considering that the world and its institutions are fully aware of the reasons that forced us to flee from our homes. We get the idea that the whole world is fighting us in the same way as Omar Al Bashir.”
The sheikh explained that there are no jobs or other sources of income in eastern Chad. “So how can they request us to rely on ourselves?” He appealed the international community and the UN Security Council to bear their responsibilities and supply the refugees in eastern Chad with the basic needs for life.
File photo: A refugee in Chad selling home-made peanut butter (Radio Dabanga)
Related:
UNHCR discusses future with refugees in Chad (29 January 2014)
WFP stops food rations for Gaga refugee camp in Chad: Sheikh (22 January 2014)
‘Once Darfur is secure again, refugees will return by themselves’: Chad camp head (8 January 2014)
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