Summary of major revisions made to emergency plan of action
This update provides an overview on Sudanese Red Crescent Society actions for 18 months of the operation (10 July 2015 - 10 December 2016). Appeal coverage at the time of writing is 19%, donors are encouraged to support the appeal to enable SRCS provide assistance to the targeted beneficiaries through the planned activities as detailed in the Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA). A DREF loan of 178,890 Swiss francs was processed at the beginning of the APPEAL to support the startup of activities by SRCS.
This update is seeking a 3 months’ timeframe extension until March 31st 2017, considering the anticipated donor response and give enough time to implement related activities
A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster
The protracted clashes between Government forces and armed movements in Darfur Region of Sudan has intensified in recent years severely impacting civilians. Inter-tribal tensions continued to spill over into clashes, causing civilian displacements and disruption of basic services. Continued and sustained clashes in 2014 and 2015, and the recent 2016, incident in Jebel Mera area, witnessed new displacements in the region and thus an increase in the humanitarian needs.
According to the 2016, Humanitarian Needs Overview, some 3.3 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance in Darfur. Many internally displaced persons (IDPs) have remained displaced since the outbreak of the Darfur conflict in 2003. During the first 9 months of 2016, approximately 82,000 people were newly displaced across Darfur, according to the UN and partners report. Up to an additional 127,670 people were also reportedly displaced (in addition to about 59,000 who have reportedly returned) but the UN and partners have been unable to verify these figures due to a lack of adequate access to the relevant locations.1 Clashes in Darfur due to inter-tribal fighting continued throughout 2015, making the conflict in the region more widespread and unpredictable. Towards the end of the year, increased clashes between farmers and herdsmen were reported due to grazing lands. Farmers in both North and South Darfur were affected by the attacks and the destruction of their farms by livestock herders’. Lack of rain or shortage of rainfall has also been reported to be affecting agriculture in the area.
According to UNOCHA, the Government of Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in West Darfur State has received reports that about 1,250 people (250 families) have returned from Chad to Sisi village in Gobe administrative unit, Habila locality in November 2016. The returnees cited shortage of food and lack of livelihoods opportunities due to limited movements outside of camps and education challenges in camps reasons for their return.
The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance have increased in the region in addition to the internal displaced people existed. As per UNHCR report, as of 31 October, 261,794 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan since December 2013. With continuing insecurity in South Sudan, a steady influx of newly arriving refugees is expected throughout the year and into next year. An inter-agency assessment mission conducted in October 2016, in East Darfur confirm reports of a steady influx of South Sudanese refugees entering East Darfur via South Darfur. In South Darfur, UNHCR mission reported that in Beleil IDP camp to land allocation is underway for 4,516 South Sudanese refugees (880 households) within the IDP camp. Reportedly, the IDP and refugee communities have agreed to live peacefully together and refugees will reside in identified areas inside and around the outskirts of the camp. A committee composed of both refugees and IDP leaders has begun the land allocation, with the most vulnerable households receiving priority.On 20 May 2015, IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal (EA), which sought 3,934,859 Swiss francs to support Sudan Red Crescent Society (SRCS) address emergency health, hygiene promotion, water and sanitation, emergency shelter including basic household items, needs of 389,930 people in the Darfur region, for a period of 12 months. The Federation released 178,890 Swiss francs from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) as a “startup” loan to the EA, as well as goods in kind, which had been prepositioned in-country following the MDRSS021 Floods operation in 2014/15.
The Federation, on behalf of the Sudan Red Crescent Society would like to extend many thanks to the American Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross, Saudi Red Crescent Society, Swedish Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross, for their generous financial and in kind contribution toward this operation. A total of 3,025 jerry cans from American Red Cross and 2,500 NFI kits from IFRC stocks were made available for the response. Unfortunately, financial coverage for the International Emergency Plan of Action Appeal remains low at around 19%, mostly due to the protracted nature of the emergency. This Operations Update provides information on SRCS actions of the operations in the Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) and the remaining activities to encourage donors to contribute for the appeal for the timely and effective respond of the National Society. The appeal is extended to additional three months till 31st of March, 2017 anticipating donors response.