U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
BACKGROUND
In eastern Chad, interethnic conflict, fighting between Government of Chad (GOC) forces and armed opposition groups, and cross-border raids from Sudanese militias based in neighboring Darfur have intensified since the end of 2005. In 2006 and 2007, increased interethnic conflict within Chad led to the internal displacement of thousands of Chadians, resulting in increased need for water, sanitation, food, and health services. The internal displacement in Chad has occurred within the context of an existing humanitarian emergency created by the migration of more than 200,000 Sudanese into the eastern region of Chad since the start of the Darfur complex emergency in 2003. An estimated 275,000 refugees from Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) reside in refugee camps in eastern and southern Chad, straining local resources. In addition to the internally displaced person (IDP) and refugee populations, the conflict continues to impact communities that host IDPs and refugees, affecting agriculture, livestock raising, and other livelihood activities.
On October 4, 2006, U.S. Ambassador Marc M. Wall redeclared a disaster in Chad due to ongoing insecurity and humanitarian needs. In January 2007, a USAID team arrived in eastern Chad to assess the needs of IDPs and host communities. Since FY 2004, the U.S. Government (USG) has provided more than $286 million in humanitarian assistance to eastern Chad.
| NUMBERS AT A GLANCE | SOURCE | |
| IDPs | 180,000 | OCHA(1) - August 2007 |
| Affected Host Population | 700,000 | OCHA - September 2007 |
| Sudanese Refugees in Chad | 231,000 | UNHCR(2) - July 2007 |
| CAR Refugees in Chad | 44,000 | UNHCR - September 2007 |
HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED IN FY 2007
USAID/OFDA Assistance to Eastern Chad:
$8,764,223
USAID/FFP3 Assistance to Eastern Chad: $37,735,400
USAID/OTI4 Assistance to Eastern Chad: $118,188
State/PRM5 Assistance to Eastern Chad: $42,680,925
Total USAID and State Humanitarian Assistance to Eastern Chad: $89,298,736
CURRENT SITUATION
In July and August, the annual rainy season affected refugee and IDP areas in eastern Chad and further inhibited road travel for humanitarian agencies. Aid agencies report that the trend of displacement slowed and insecurity decreased due to limited mobility during the rainy season. However, relief agencies are carefully monitoring the health and nutrition situation in IDP camps to identify and prevent water-related diseases. Many humanitarian agencies are developing returns strategies that could be implemented after the rainy season, should a stable security situation permit returns.
In July and August, a USAID field officer monitored programs and assessed the humanitarian situation in IDP camps, including Dogdore, Adre, Abeche, Bahai, Farchana, and Goz Beida. From July 23 to 27, the field officer participated in a multi-donor mission to review the humanitarian situation in eastern Chad.
IDPs and Refugees
According to OCHA, nearly 180,000 IDPs resided in camps and host communities throughout eastern Chad as of August 31, an increase from nearly 173,000 IDPs reported in mid-June. The two largest IDP settlements are Habile and Dogdore, with 28,800 IDPs and 27,500 IDPs respectively. Since January 2007, U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have expanded humanitarian operations to cover most of the IDP population's basic needs. USAID staff report that most sectors have adequate coverage, but some gaps remain in protection and site management. Although humanitarian staff have observed some IDPs temporarily returning to their original land to plant cereal crops during the rainy season, additional displacement continues due to insecurity.
Heavy rainfall on August 21 and 22 in Koukou caused flooding that destroyed the houses of 67 host community families and 6 IDP families in Habile IDP camp, according to the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF). In addition, rains have rendered the Goz Beida-Koukou and Koukou-Goz Amir roads impassible and disrupted use of the Koukou airstrip, limiting humanitarian access.
As of July 31, more than 231,000 Sudanese refugees resided in eastern Chad in 12 refugee camps, according to UNHCR. Bredjing, near Farchana, and Oure Cassoni, near Bahai, are the two largest refugee camps with 29,600 refugees and 27,900 refugees respectively. Between January and July, nearly 10,000 Sudanese refugees arrived in eastern Chad. In addition, more than 43,000 refugees from CAR reside in four camps in southern Chad, according to UNHCR. Between April and July, approximately 1,500 CAR refugees arrived in southern Chad.
In early August, UNHCR and the Sudanese Government of National Unity's Commissioner for Refugees (COR) reported that as many as 30,000 people have left Chad for Darfur since early 2007. The two agencies' report stated that these migrants are from Arab nomadic or seminomadic ethnic groups, but include some non-Arab ethnic groups as well. Two-thirds of the group entered West Darfur near Foro Baranga and many settled along the Wadi Azoum seasonal riverbed. The majority originate from the Tiero, Marena, Mayo, and Awinrado areas in southeastern Chad. The families left Chad because of the insecurity in the region, according to the aid workers in Darfur who interviewed the group.
USAID provides relief assistance to IDPs and conflictaffected host populations through nine NGOs and six U.N. agencies. Since January 2007, USAID has airlifted two flights of relief supplies to eastern Chad, delivering more than $375,000 in commodities, including 850 rolls of plastic sheeting, 1,920 hygiene kits, 6,700 blankets, and 10,700 ten-liter water containers. State/PRM supports refugee assistance programs through 14 NGOs and international organizations and three U.N. agencies. To enhance the capacity of the humanitarian operation in eastern Chad, USAID and State/PRM fund air transportation for humanitarian agencies.
Health
Recent outbreaks of hepatitis A, B, and E, as well as increased cases of diarrhea are the most pressing concerns in the health sector. According to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO), diarrhea is the most commonly reported illness, underscoring the high risk waterborne diseases during the rainy season. From January 1 to June 25, WHO reported 718 cases of hepatitis E, a waterborne disease. NGOs, WHO, and UNICEF are providing treatment for these diseases and continue to monitor the situation. On August 31, UNICEF reported that more than 15,000 IDPs in Gouroukoum, Koloma, and Gassire received training on the risk of hepatitis E and prevention measures.
USAID partner the International Medical Corps (IMC) provides maternal and child health care through mobile clinics in the Haouich area near Goz Beida, as well as in Guereda. IMC's health programs serve more than 192,000 conflict-affected community members and more than 8,400 IDPs. USAID supports the MENTOR Initiative's health care programs that assist nearly 136,000 beneficiaries through the local Ministry of Health. USAID also supports UNICEF and WHO to provide emergency health assistance for IDPs and host populations in eastern Chad.
Nutrition
In June, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported a global acute malnutrition (GAM) rate of 19.5 percent for children under the age of five in Goz Beida, above the 15 percent emergency threshold. In September, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) increased the food ration from 1,800 to 2,100 kilocalories per person per day and increased the amount of corn-soya blend provided in the ration. MSF and Cooperazione Internazionale have established facilities in Goz Beida to treat malnutrition.
USAID supports IMC's supplementary feeding programs in Guereda and Haouich, which assist more than 8,400 IDPs and 33,000 host community members. UNICEF also provides nutrition programs with USAID funding to approximately 150,000 IDPs.
Map: USG
Humanitarian Assistance in Eastern Chad (as of 20 Sep 2007)
Note:
(1) U.N. Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs
(2) Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
(3) USAID's Office of Food for Peace
(4) USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives
(5)U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration