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Sudan + 1 more

Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletin | Issue 06 | 01 – 07 February 2016 [EN/AR]

Attachments

HIGHLIGHTS

  • About 37,000 new IDPs from Jebel Marra have sought shelter in North Darfur.

  • The number of newly displaced in Central Darfur is unknown due to lack of access.

  • Aid organisations have been unable to assess needs or assist 5,000 people from Mulli who arrived in El Geneina in early January.

  • By 1 February, about 200,000 South Sudanese refugees arrived in Sudan, of whom 65 per cent received some form of aid - UNHCR.

New IDPs from Jebel Marra receive initial aid

The conflict between government security forces and the Sudan Liberation Movement – Abdul Wahid (SLA-AW) that started in mid-January in Jebel Marra, Darfur continues to affect and displace more civilians, according to humanitarian organisations.

Civilians bear the brunt of the fighting and humanitarian organisations call on all parties to the conflict to ensure civilians are protected and facilitate free and unfettered humanitarian access so that affected and displaced civilians can receive humanitarian assistance they urgently need.

By 7 February, 37,000 new internally displaced persons (IDPs) sought shelter in North Darfur State. In Central Darfur, there is a wide range of estimates on the number of newly displaced. The reported figures of newly displaced are yet to be verified and are likely to change. While aid agencies have provided initial assistance to new IDPs in Sortony and other locations in North Darfur, no assistance has been provided in Central Darfur due to lack of access.

About 37,000 new IDPs from Jebel Marra in North Darfur

The cumulative reported number of new IDPs from Jebel Marra in North Darfur is estimated at about 37,000 people, which is about 6,000 more compared to the figure reported during the previous week. This includes 21,690 people in Sortony, 14,000 in Tawila and 1,186 in Kebkabiya.

Aid organisations visited Sortony, North Darfur on 2-4 February and found that 21,690 IDPs (2,200 men, 5,991 women, 13,499 children) have gathered at the United Nations- African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) team site in the area. These new IDPs, of whom 90 per cent are women and children, have arrived from 59 villages. More people are on their way to Sortony, according to the displaced people. Meanwhile, some of the displaced people have moved to Kebkabiya town. A tracking team from the International Organization of Migration (IOM) arrived in Sortony to start IDP verification.

Along with assessing the needs, the mission distributed initial assistance to the displaced. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the government’s Water and Environmental Sanitation Department (WES) dispatched a water truck from Kebkabiya with a capacity of 26,000 litres. This truck will supply the IDPs with a total of 52,000 litres of water daily. Coupled with UNAMID’s capacity of 40,000 litres, the total available amount of water is 92,000 litres, which translates into 4.2 litres per person per day (l/p/d). The minimum required water quantity per person in such an emergency is 7.5-15 l/p/d, according to SPHERE standards. The mission also distributed nutritional supplies (140 cartons to cover the needs of 1,344 children aged between 6 – 12 months for one week), and hygiene supplies (9,000 bars of soap for 3,000 families).

On 6 February, a second convoy with additional assistance for new IDPs in Sortony was dispatched from El Fasher. The convoy will deliver food for 16,000 people for two months, as well as nutritional supplies for 3,800 children under the age of five and pregnant and nursing women for 15 days. It also includes a full set of emergency households items for 4,500 families (estimated 22,500 people), as well as medical, hygiene and other supplies.

In Tawila, the reported number of new IDPs reached about 14,000 people. This is an increase of almost 5,000 compared to the figure reported last week. Aid organisations and the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) continue to provide the newly displaced with food, nutrition, emergency household supplies as well as health, water, sanitation and education assistance. So far, at least 10,000 people have received some form of initial assistance, mainly food.

In Kebkabiya, there are 1,186 new IDPs who are staying with extended family or host community. WFP plans to carry out a rapid food security assessment of this group on 7 February.

Challenges of verifying new IDPs in Central Darfur

National and international humanitarian organisations are currently not able to carry out any verification or assessment of newly displaced people who arrived in Central Darfur from the Jebel Marra. Local authorities stated that they are taking full responsibility on this matter and will provide any assistance required. However, humanitarian organisations are concerned about whether all displaced and other conflict-affected people are able to receive the assistance they need. Meanwhile, significant movement restrictions and the volatile security situation prevent aid organisations from ascertaining that. This leads to confusion regarding the numbers of new IDPs, with wide range of estimates complicating the understanding of the situation on the ground and potential response.

According to the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in Zalingei, the reported number of new IDPs in Guldo, Thur and Daya has not changed over the past week (see the table below). These figures are not confirmed (not yet individually registered) and are very likely to change after registration and verification.

According to HAC and the Deputy Wali (Governor), local authorities provided or pre- positioned some food supplies and 3,000 blankets for the new IDPs in Thur and surrounding areas.

On 3 February, at a meeting with aid organisations the Deputy Wali stated that the authorities would create a conducive environment for humanitarian organisations to participate in verification and assessments to ensure that all conflict-affected people receive assistance.

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