Report from Team Zamzam’s coordinating counselor, received April 28, 2024
Translated by Gaffar Mohammud Saeneen
This monthly report comes in light of severe security challenges, deteriorating humanitarian conditions, and looming threats that Darfur has not seen since the outbreak of war 21 years ago.
There has been further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in displacement camps in North Darfur, indeed the situation is one of complete collapse.
The senseless war in Sudan is descending to its worst levels, and therefore we are obliged to warn the international, regional, and charitable organizations of the seriousness of the humanitarian and health conditions inside the displacement camps in Darfur, and the rapidly growing security threats.
This critical humanitarian situation has reached a level that cannot be described without tears streaming down our own faces, and our conscience and hearts scold you. We do not have the ability to save their lives because the situation has reached a catastrophic stage.
The rates of death, injuries, kidnappings, and burning of civilian homes are increasing significantly, and the rates of acute malnutrition are rising rapidly for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with special needs. Diseases such as cholera, syphilis, and a range of other infections are increasing daily due to the increase in the number of displaced people in the camp’s limited area.
The displaced in the shelter centers inside the camps are suffering severely in all aspects of their livelihoods, but the increased violence among them has made the situation even more grave: almost all of the roads have been deliberately blocked. This inevitably leads to an increase in suffering on the part of the displaced people inside the shelter centers.
Many lives have been lost as a consequence, especially since the end of March; and of course those who obstruct humanitarian aid do not feel the loss of food, medicine, and water within local communities. It is another crime to be added to the countless other human crimes committed. A way must be found for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire to save the lives of displaced persons. And we strongly feel the need to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity.
The security situation in North Darfur
The deteriorating security situation has become a constant fact of life. We are reminded that the dream of all Darfurians is for a secure land. From the beginning of the war in 2000 to the present day, this dream lives on. However, the situation is getting worse day by day, with increasing tensions experienced by displaced persons, including psychological and mental illnesses. Many human lives, property, homes, animals, and children have been lost. As we have come to see in recent days, Darfur is experiencing the largest humanitarian disaster in its history.
RSF attacks: what the region is experiencing over wide areas
On Wednesday, April 4, 2024, at 2 p.m., the RSF went out with the Janjaweed militias in Kabkabiya, Kanjar, and Umm Jilbak. Their forces consisted of more than 700 men and they had 15 vehicles armed with heavy and light firearms. There were also a number of motor vehicles, many more men on camels and horses, and they collectively launched attacks on these villages—aiming to loot, burn, murder. and rape displaced persons.
Then news of an imminent raid on the city of El Fasher on Friday arrived in order to obtain more spoils from the attack, but El Fasher was in fact not attacked. After this barbaric attack on civilian villages, this militia force headed to the areas northwest of El Fasher, some 40 kilometers from the city. In the villages of Azbaniyah, Al-Darma, Tawazun, and Al-Janjouna Al-Baraka, they looted livestock, donkeys, horses, camels, carts; they took the corn, millet, beans, sesame and all agricultural crops of these poor, defenceless villagers who live on the sweat and effort of farming and raising livestock.
However, the residents of this area refused to leave their property, homes, and agricultural crops—and then followed the beatings, torturing, and gathering all the livestock. These defenceless people did not receive help at all until four had been killed and many injured.
On the second day, these RSF militias returned to the same area; this led to the killing of eighteen young men from the same area, as well as ten men from the village of Azbani, three from the village of Al-Darma, two from the village of Al-Tawazun, and three from the village of Al-Kobi. In addition to this, they stole more than 400 head of cows, 510 sheep, 390 goats, and three citizens’ cars. In total, 34 villages were burned in the Azbani area, 20 villages in Darma area, and three villages in Tawazine; each house had a stock of millet, corn, sesame, and peanuts inside.
Humanitarian living conditions around IDP camps
The humanitarian living conditions in Darfur in general and North Darfur in particular have been deteriorating continuously for a very long time but now things are completely out of control. More and more people live in a state of continuous suffering. The current war has produced terribly harsh humanitarian conditions. People experience grave difficulties and tragedies: so many people have lost their loved ones and their children because of this damnable war and its ongoing attacks on areas inhabited by defenseless civilians.
Innocent, defenceless displaced people were forced from their homes and areas, displaced to places they thought would have fewer clashes. But the entire state of Darfur is now exposed to clashes, killings, displacement, and rape. During the past two years, there has been no agricultural activity because people cannot leave the camps even an inch to earn a living that will provide the simplest necessities of life; all means of livelihood are completely abandoned because of continual threats of violence.
Most displaced people continued to depend for their livelihood on the minimal aid that they received from the World Food Organization, a program that also distributes nutritional supplements for children suffering from malnutrition. Unfortunately, all the UN agencies and humanitarian organizations left the country because of security concerns.
This vacuum has been disastrous for many of the IDP’s in Zamzam, as well as those who used to depend on the WFP for their livelihood in the areas southwest of El Fasher. Their villages were burned, looted, and people were displaced to the already overcrowded camps around El Fasher. And now the routes through which food goods entered from the neighboring countries—such as Libya, Chad, and Egypt—have been cut off by the merciless RSF and its affiliated militias.
Further, because of insecurity, most of the markets in North Darfur state have been closed, most notably the Abbasid market in the city of Melliit, a main center for international trade: it is the entrance point to all eastern and western areas, critically for agricultural products. However, it is now controlled and has been shut down by the RSF.
These latest security threats and challenges have led to an astronomical rise in food prices and other basic human needs. As an example, the price of sugar has more than doubled, from 800 Sudanese Pounds (SP) to 2000 SP per pound.
Other examples:
Oil has gone from 100 SP to 300 SP
Washing soap from 400 SP to 1500 SP
Onions have gone from 100 to 300
1 kilogram of meat from 4000 to 8,000
Water jars 100 to 2000
Grinder from 1000 to 3000
Pieces of children’s clothing from 4000 to 20,000
Pieces of clothing for adults from 6,000 to 35,000
A piece of bread from 300 to 3000
Painkiller pills from 500 to 2000
Flagyl and stomach aid from 500 to 5000 pounds
Glucose treatment from 5000 to 15,000 thousand pounds; other major treatments and surgical operations are out of the question for many people.
Health conditions and mental well-being inside the displacement camps
In the absence of security, safety, and stability; in the absence of basic necessities and services such as food, clothing and housing; in the presence of psychological, mental and physical tensions as well as mental exhaustion, in the presence of people fleeing, leaving their family members behind without being able to say goodbye; in the presence of rapes of mothers, young girl and even children; in the presence of sounds of terrifying gunshots, and aircraft strikes at night; and in light of the displacement of most the young people to neighboring countries… in the face of all this, how can there true health among people? Nearly all the camp residents are suffering from severe mental and psychological debilitation because of these realities.
As I have noted, many infectious diseases are spreading; there are also chronic diseases among the displaced, such severe malnutrition among children, which has produced very high mortality rates. Other infectious diseases include hepatitis C, which is transmitted by vector insects such as flies; cholera and meningitis are now widespread due to the increase in temperature and the crowding of families in shelter centers with limited spaces.
Primary care healthcare centers now do not have any treatments because roads from neighboring countries are blocked. The most active health center in Zamzam (MSF) is running out of medicine to provide to the newly displaced people fleeing the areas northeast of El Fasher—people fleeing the violence of the RSF. As a result they are more vulnerable to health risks, and have greater need of primary health care and psychological and social support. They also need training workshops, awareness, guidance, and advice to get them out of the shadow of this senseless war, especially children whose parents were killed before their eyes–and mothers and fathers who are deeply affected by the burning of their homes, the looting of their livestock, and other types of violence.
Work carried out during April and basic necessities distributed
In the first week of April, a week before the end of Ramadan, a team selected eight shelter centers within Zamzam camp to distribute basic necessities composed of sugar, flour, red lentils, and pasta.
The families who have been targeted for distribution are from the poorest groups and suffer most from the severe food shortages and whose children are most vulnerable to malnutrition.
For this distribution, 320 families benefited from the distribution:
102 families, including the elderly people
100 families, most of whom are widowed women with children
60 children who are orphans
40 families with disabled members or the disabled living alone
The quality of the food commodities distributed:
10 bags of sugar containing 50 kilograms inside each bag
22 bags of flour containing 50 kilograms inside each bag
12 bags of red lentils, each bag containing 25 kilograms
20 pasta cartons, each carton containing 24 bags containing half a kilogram of pasta
Work carried out during April 2024
82 patients suffering from various illness have been accompanied to different hospitals for medical treatment, including three fistula patients;
13 meetings were held with shelter representatives, neighborhood representatives, women groups, local activists and the camp’s chief representatives to discuss issues concerning the camp, the current challenges, the absence of security, and the present security threat posed by RSF;
A new water well was repaired to relieve pressure and provide relief to more than 600 families suffering from severe water shortages. This well is the eighth, but more are needed in Zamzam given the high temperatures and overcrowding in shelter centers.
A total of 36 individual counseling sessions carried out.
A total of 12 group counseling sessions carried out.
Testimonials from displaced persons benefiting from the distribution:
“Today, Team Zamzam brought us sugar, flour, pasta and Ramadan lentils to relieve the pain, tensions and psychological pressure on many families suffering from severe malnutrition” said one woman. She said that she was very happy with this basket. She was in great need. She did not have a single pound to buy Ramadan sugar for her family. She “thanks everyone who provided a helping hand to this basket, and may God bless you all.”
Mrs. Noura also said that she is the mother of four orphans, and she does not have the strength for a single day and cannot go out anywhere to bring a simple living to feed her orphan children. Noura said, “Today I am thankful and grateful for this support; there is no one supporting us except you, Team Zamzam!”
Also, a young man who is from the organizing committee inside a shelter center for the newly displaced said: “Thank you, and this is another huge credit to you, Team Zamzam, because throughout the period of displacement from Abuja camp to Zamzam camp there was no support from any party other than your support. There has been no drinking water inside some of the centers for three days. We also ask charitable people, humanitarian organizations, and human rights organizations to include the needs of the displaced. All the displaced, new and old, are exposed to severe danger and life challenges, and the needs of the necessities must be met immediately.”
For her part, young Al-Dhaiza said that she is an orphan, having lost both her father and mother, and she is in care of her five siblings who live alone in very poor condition. They have nothing to live on except the leftovers of other people and trash. They have a sick brother who needs more treatment and help, and she needs more and more help feeding the orphaned children. Team Zamzam assisted her and her siblings as well this month.
Testimonial from victims of sexual violence
Sexual violence is considered one of the worst nightmares in Darfur, still depriving many young girls of life throughout Darfur as a whole, especially North Darfur state and its capital, El Fasher. Sexual and physical violence against girls has increased significantly, especially after the outbreak of the current war in April 2023. This noticeable increase in the rate of sexual violence has several reasons, but all of them lie in the lack of security, the intensification of the ongoing battles, and the lack of any humanity on the part of the Rapid Support Forces and the militias allied with them.
Today in Darfur, these militias use sexual violence as a weapon to humiliate the victims and their families.
On Friday, April 14, 2024, Salma was subjected to sexual violence by the Rapid Support Forces; the victim is from the village of Al-Majdoub, west of El Fasher, only one kilometer away. Salma is only 16 years old. This happened at two o’clock in the afternoon after she left her family’s home to get some supplies since they felt unsafe after the arrival of the Rapid Support Forces in the area.
Young Salma was heading to the neighboring villages, which were some 3 kilometers away from Al-Majdoub to the west. Unfortunately, she fell into the hands of the RSF, who were coming from the direction of Qalab and heading towards the village of Sarfaya;
“I was on my way and suddenly men appeared riding in military vehicles belonging to the Rapid Support Forces and surrounded me from all directions,” Salma said. “I was very afraid and they started asking me terrible and humiliating questions, and when I refused to answer, they hit me in the head and I fainted and fell to the ground.”
“I couldn’t resist and they started taking turns on me. I cried and screamed but there was no one around to save me. They were nine people and they had two cars with weapons on their backs.”
“After that, they left me at midnight at the scene of the accident and left.”
The victim lost consciousness and spent the night there until the next morning; she awoke to find herself unable to walk and her body covered with a number of abrasions and scratches—and she was so frightened that she was unable to move. But she did not give up and managed to reach her village.
Her parents and family were very worried until she arrived and told them what happened to her. Her mother and father fainted from anger to the point that they wished for death. Then they took her to the hospital, and she was provided with only first aid, painkillers, and a hygiene treatment; she then returned to her home.
Upon hearing this incident, three counselors from Team Zamzam went immediately to visit Salama at her home to provide her comfort and counseling. Her parents thanked Team Zamzam for intervening so quickly to help their daughter. Salma’s father said, “I was about to commit suicide out of the anger and humiliation that I felt, but your intervention has healed my heart and I can’t find appropriate words to thank you. But know that you are doing miraculous work and that the Almighty understands the value of your work.”
Recommendations from Team Zamzam
• We appeal for urgent attention and would stress that the displacement camps are on the verge of collapse. Without immediate intervention and the opening of roads, the situation will fall into total collapse.
• Hunger, thirst, fear of attack, disease, and acute psychological suffering are leading to high levels of death. These must be addressed.
• The necessity of a complete ceasefire and immediate humanitarian intervention by the competent authorities is urgently required.
• Opening of the markets, especially the Mellit market and the routes through which food supplies enter, is critical.
• There must be an accelerated departure of the Rapid Support Forces and their militias from the homes and residences of citizens.
• It is also urgent that the displaced people that came from Nyala, Kutum, Khartoum and others areas be returned to their home areas, providing security in their areas, and thus relieving the pressure on the displaced people in the Zamzam camp.
• Also, returning the residents of the northeastern neighborhoods of El Fasher must be returned to their homes, provided security, and the occupying Rapid Support Forces must be expelled.
• There is an urgent need to expand shelter centers for displaced people in order to reduce the spread of diseases among the displaced.
• There is a great need to provide workshops, training courses, as well as awareness and guidance for newly displaced people fleeing attacked areas.
• There is also an urgent need to provide psychological and social support for orphaned children who were displaced recently because of the war and who have witnessed many horrible things, such seeing the death of family members in front of them.
• The newly displaced people, widows, and orphans in these areas are all in dire need of all services, including immediate and rapid intervention by organizations and philanthropists to improve their health condition.
• A criminal case must be opened against those who committed these horrific inhuman crimes; the International Criminal Court and United Nations agencies must act without delay.