By Albert González Farran

A man takes shelter under his donkey cart in Kalma camp for internally displaced people, in South Darfur. Photo by Albert González Farran

Thousands of people fled their homes during the looting and destruction of several villages in the areas of Um Gunya and Hajeer in South Darfur. More than 20,000 of them sought refuge in the Kalma and Al Salam camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) located in the outskirts of Nyala. Many others have moved to the Sani Deleiba area, the Beleil IDP camp and to Labado village.

In Kalma and Al Salam camps, the new IDPs lack food, water and substantial shelter. While they wait for assistance from the humanitarian community, these newly displaced are trying to survive in makeshift tents; others have taken refuge under donkey carts. Most of them didn’t have food and water.  In response to their needs, the World Food Programme immediately organized distribution of a 15-day emergency food ration.

Some of the newly displaced are receiving support from relatives and other IDPs in the camps. But these are a minority. Mr. Saleh Issa, one of the community leaders settled in the Kalma camp, says that the new arrivals have come from more than 40 villages and are suffering without basic amenities. "People are in a critical situation here," says Mr. Issa.

The latest additions to the displaced communities inhabiting these camps have little choice but to hope for assistance. "We can't do too much else," admits Mr. Mohamed Mohameldein, a man who arrived at the Al Salam camp with a group of 20 families. The headmaster of a school at the camp, Mr. Mohamed Hassan, agreed to give them shelter temporarily until they achieve some measure of stability. "It is a matter of humanity," explains the headmaster.

Most of the recently displaced are women and children. Many men remained in their villages to defend them, and have lost all contact with their families. Ms. Ashia Saleh from Barkatil village, a mother of five, had to leave her husband behind. She does not have any news of his condition or whereabouts. "We need peace immediately," she says.

Similarly, Ms. Fatima Abdala, an elderly woman from Barakatuli village, went to Kalma with her daughter. Living in a makeshift hut consisting of plastic and branches, she waits for a positive change in the current situation. "I left my two sons in the village," she reveals, "and came with nothing other than the clothes I was wearing."

Waiting for succor, with minimal expectations, appears to be the defining state of mind of most of the newly displaced people in these camps. "We cannot manage to survive on our own," confesses Ms. Mariam Zakaria from Ila Khijerat. “We hope someone will help us soon; we are desperate.”

The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) continues to call upon Government authorities to allow peacekeepers unhindered and immediate access to the areas affected by violence so the Mission can carry out its core activity for the protection of civilians. UNAMID has increased its patrols in the areas where the newly displaced have settled, and is assisting the humanitarian community to provide much-needed assistance.

Are for new displaced families in Kalma camp. Photo by Albert González Farran.