The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is scaling up its operation to assist Sudanese refugees in Chad. As the international community puts the spotlight on the plight of millions of refugees on World Refugee Day, the situation in eastern Chad continues to deteriorate despite the intervention of international aid organisations.
Thousands of new arrivals have put increasing pressure on local resources and stretched relief efforts to the limit. As many as 190,000 refugees are now thought to have crossed the border since the conflict in the western Sudanese province of Darfur began last year. Only half of these have been moved into camps set up by the UNHCR, the United Nation’s refugee agency.
The rest are scattered over 600 km of barren country soon to be washed over by seasonal rains. The situation is particularly dire in the north, around the town of Bahai, where an estimated 25,000 refugees are in need of assistance, and in the south, which has already been hit by rains.
“For several months, Chad Red Cross volunteers and 14 six wheel drive trucks donated by the Norwegian Red Cross have been at the forefront of efforts – coordinated by the UNHCR and the World Food Programme - to gather refugees into camps and supply safe water, food and equipment,” said Roger Aubé, who is coordinating the Federation operation in Chad.
“The Red Cross has now been asked to supply additional non-food items such as tents and soap and is reinforcing its transport capacity with nine additional all-terrain trucks, which will come into their own when the rainy season makes roads impassable to regular vehicles.”
With a view to scaling up its response even further and in light of concerns over outbreaks of diseases and the scarcity of fresh water, the International Federation is deploying a special evaluation team to the affected areas. The team will look at the possible rehabilitation of a hospital in Bahai, which will serve refugees and the local population, and the provision of emergency water purification facilities.
“In eastern Chad as in the rest of the world, we see Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers bringing assistance to people rendered homeless and vulnerable by conflict or natural disaster. But as we mark World Refugee Day, we must not forget the host communities, who have generously welcomed these refugees and shared with them their own meagre resources,” says Andreas Koumo Gopina, secretary general of the Chad Red Cross.
“We are committed to ensuring that any future expanded Red Cross operation in eastern Chad will take account of the local population while addressing the needs of the displaced.”