Urgent Support Needed for Sudanese Refugees in Chad

As a result of the fighting between Sudan’s army and paramilitary quick support forces, around 700,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to nearby Chad. They want to return home, but they don’t know when they’ll be able to.

“In Sudan, there is an issue. There is no security and no stability. We arrived here as Chadian refugees and wish to return to our nation, check on our properties, and stay there. That is our dilemma. Without security, it is tough. We have children and a family, and because security is not assured, we will stay here until we can return to our country, God willing,” says Sudanese refugee Ousmane Taher.

Aid groups are worried that there are not enough resources to support those seeking refuge in Chad, and are calling for more funding.

“What I worry (about) the most will be lack of funding. If we don’t have enough funding and have an increased inflow of Sudanese population here in Chad, adding a strain to this situation here in Chad as well itself, that can lead to hunger,” says Ramazani Karabaye, head of the World Food Program’s operations in the Adre.

Fleur Pialoux, project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders, fears the situation will not imporove any time soon.

We know that the population here relies nearly entirely on food handouts, which is not sustainable. As the conflict on the other side does not improve and is really worsening as we speak, we anticipate that people will be here for quite some time,” she says.

This year, three children died of starvation at a Doctors Without Borders hospital in a Chadian displacement camp.