Hunger in Central Darfur camps
The more than 43 camps for the displaced in Central Darfur are facing a “tragic and catastrophic situation due to the lack of food”, the coordinator of the camps told Radio Dabanga. The residents of the Central Darfur camps, numbering 18,013 registered displaced, are suffering from a severe shortage of food and income, because of the complete absence of humanitarian services and reduced food rations by the World Food Programme (WFP). “In the 2004-2009 period, each registered camp resident used to receive a monthly ration of 16kg of sorghum, 1kg kilo of lentils, a litre of cooking oil, four ounces of salt and two pounds of sugar. Between 2009 and 2012 the sorghum ration was reduced to 8kg, lentils to half a kilo, salt to a quarter of a pound, while sugar and oil were stopped by the WFP. Special foodstuffs for children and pregnant women were cancelled too,” the coordinator explained. In August and September of this year, the monthly food ration for one displaced person became 3.7kg of sorghum, one ounce of salt, and nine ounces of sugar in the Zalingei camps. The displaced in the Nierteti camps have not received food rations since October. The Um Dukhun camps and the camps in the neighbouring areas have not received food rations too, due to the insecurity in the area due to recent armed conflicts. The coordinator said that the continuation of the Sudanese government’s blockade of humanitarian services provision, by restricting the movement of humanitarian organisations, its denial of access to fuel and medicines, as well as the lack of security and the failure of the agricultural season have strongly exacerbated the humanitarian and health situation. Camp sheikhs in South Darfur on Thursday referred to the increasing number of men and women leaving the camp areas in search of work, due to the failure of the agricultural season, the lack of food provided by humanitarian organisations, as well as the lack of security in the region. Women are mostly moving to other South Darfur localities to work on the farmlands or in brick factories. Men go searching for work in Khartoum, Gedaref in eastern Sudan, and South Sudan. File photo (WFP) Related: Displaced woman assaulted by militiamen in Mershing, South Darfur (13 December 2013)
The more than 43 camps for the displaced in Central Darfur are facing a “tragic and catastrophic situation due to the lack of food”, the coordinator of the camps told Radio Dabanga.
The residents of the Central Darfur camps, numbering 18,013 registered displaced, are suffering from a severe shortage of food and income, because of the complete absence of humanitarian services and reduced food rations by the World Food Programme (WFP).
“In the 2004-2009 period, each registered camp resident used to receive a monthly ration of 16kg of sorghum, 1kg kilo of lentils, a litre of cooking oil, four ounces of salt and two pounds of sugar. Between 2009 and 2012 the sorghum ration was reduced to 8kg, lentils to half a kilo, salt to a quarter of a pound, while sugar and oil were stopped by the WFP. Special foodstuffs for children and pregnant women were cancelled too,” the coordinator explained.
In August and September of this year, the monthly food ration for one displaced person became 3.7kg of sorghum, one ounce of salt, and nine ounces of sugar in the Zalingei camps. The displaced in the Nierteti camps have not received food rations since October. The Um Dukhun camps and the camps in the neighbouring areas have not received food rations too, due to the insecurity in the area due to recent armed conflicts.
The coordinator said that the continuation of the Sudanese government’s blockade of humanitarian services provision, by restricting the movement of humanitarian organisations, its denial of access to fuel and medicines, as well as the lack of security and the failure of the agricultural season have strongly exacerbated the humanitarian and health situation.
Camp sheikhs in South Darfur on Thursday referred to the increasing number of men and women leaving the camp areas in search of work, due to the failure of the agricultural season, the lack of food provided by humanitarian organisations, as well as the lack of security in the region.
Women are mostly moving to other South Darfur localities to work on the farmlands or in brick factories. Men go searching for work in Khartoum, Gedaref in eastern Sudan, and South Sudan.
File photo (WFP)
Related: Displaced woman assaulted by militiamen in Mershing, South Darfur (13 December 2013)
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