Inter-agency mission to Gereida (Dikka Village) - 6 April 2022

Introduction

Tribal conflict is not a new phenomenon in Gereida locality, especially between the Fallata and Rezeigat tribes. On 29th April, armed Rezeigat tribesmen attacked Fellata nomads in Hashaba, Idan, Um Balola villages situated in Southwest of Gereida town approximately 93 kilometers South of Nyala town. The attack erupted when an alleged armed robbery occurred on the road to Sungo where a RSF lieutenant (from the Rezeigat tribe) was killed. During the attack, it is believed that scores of people were killed and injured, with the state government deploying joint forces to defuse the situation.

On 30 March, HAC notified OCHA of another attack in Hadoob village, situated 20 kilometers North of Gereida town, inhabited by more than 100 families of Fallata whose communities were burnt as well as Dikka, and Dagama villages which were attacked on 31 March. The people of Hadoob village and their livestock were forced to move to Dikka near Gereida town where they are protected by Joint forces stationed in the area.

On 31 March at around 11am, the Rezeigat tribesmen launched another fierce attack on the Fallata who are stationed in the vicinity of the joint forces, with the aim of looting their livestock. The state authorities in Nyala deployed 20 pickup vehicles equipped with joint forces to create a buffer zone between the two tribes. The Governors of South and East Darfur hurriedly travelled to Gereida on this same day to pacify the situation when it was learnt that members of the Rezigat community from both states were mobilizing to proceed to Gereida.

Considering the above, the Wali of SD requested HAC to notify OCHA to urgently organized response to the displacement. OCHA indeed convened an urgent meeting of partners with the aim to plan for a joint assessment and to mobilize resources to undertake on-the-spot response.

The meeting also recognized the difficulty with regards security for an assessment team from Nyala and proposed that an initial rapid assessment be done by organizations physically present in Gereida, and led by ALIGHT with participation from WVI, WFP, SRCS, and HAC.
OCHA shared a rapid assessment tool with ALIGHT to be used during the assessment. HCR was requested to urgently mobilize NFI and shelters materials to be deployed once security permits, while IOM was tasked to track population movement with WFP providing food aid support and UNFP availing dignity kits, respectively. UNICEF was tasked to mobilize WASH supplies.