Unamid suspends patrols, organisations pull out of West Darfur camps

Troops of the joint UN-African Union mission (Unamid) have suspended patrols at the camps for the displaced in El Geneina locality, West Darfur, according to residents. They also say that organisations working in the camps were ordered to stop their activities. One of the camp coordinators reported to Radio Dabanga on Wednesday that Unamid halted its patrols around the ten camps of El Geneina about one month ago, without providing any explanation. The coordinator called on Unamid to clarify the suspension and immediately resume the patrols in order to protect the displaced. Empty offices  He added that last year the organisations working in the camps were ordered by the authorities to stop their work. “Only one organisation remained, working in the field of water. All operations by other organisations have been halted.” “Now there are only empty sites and offices where those organisations used to provide various activities, such as health care, nutritional support, kindergartens, and support for women,” the coordinator explained. “With the new system, the monthly food rations have been reduced by 75 percent.” The coordinator appealed to the Sudanese government via Radio Dabanga to allow the return of the organisations, and requested the resumption of the food rations. File photo: Unamid troops patrolling in Kassab camp, North Darfur (Albert González Farran/ Unamid) Related: WFP stops food rations for Gaga refugee camp in Chad: Sheikh (22 January 2014)Food rations reduced for North Darfur displaced (15 December 2013)