Kalma refugees agree to re-registration

Decision reached after extensive discussion between residents and leaders

The refugees of Kalma camp in South Darfur approved the World Food Program’s (WFP’s) re-registration process on Sunday.The WFP had issued an ultimatum to refugees in the camp to arrive on a decision regarding the re-registration of their identity cards. In a move to refresh records of refugees in the camp and to update the budget for the next year, the WFP had proposed a re-registration process in the camp. Refugees however had remained reluctant owing to fears of losing their identities, their only guarantee of food rations.

The approval from the refugees came after extensive discussions between refugees and camp leaders. Saleh Ismail, leader of the camp, told Radio Dabanga that the displaced people had agreed to WFP’s proposal. However, he added that food rations must continue to be provided by the WFP directly into the camps without involving traders.

There were complaints earlier this year about traders in the region, acting as mediators between the WFP and the refugees, were creating an artificial scarcity of food and hiking prices of the food rations.