THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED STREAMING INTO DARFUR’S TOWNS

NEW YORK, 7 April (OCHA) -- In the past week, almost 20,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have arrived in towns in south Darfur, Sudan.  Out of 12,000 IDPs in Kalma camp on the outskirts of Nyala town, 4,000 have arrived in the last five days.  In Kass, the number of IDPs has increased from about 20,000 to 35,000 within one week.  Truckloads of Dinka IDPs are also reported to be moving into Nyala town on a daily basis. The World Health Organization (WHO) has found that there are between 60 and 100 malnourished children in Kalma camp, particularly among recently arrived IDPs.  The WHO is investigating the causes.

Through interviews with IDPs in Kalma camp, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) found that the new arrivals were mainly from Shetaya and Kailiek areas, where major atrocities by the Jenjaweed had recently occurred.  Internally displaced persons from Kailiek reported that they were forced to pay money merely to flee from the area.  IDPs from the 21 villages of the Sheltaya and Kailiek area reported that up to 200 men had been killed and tortured, and that women had been systematically raped.

Following a Jenjaweed attack on Abu Adjura (south-west of Nyala) on 4 April, thousands of IDPs have arrived in Nyala.  Two out of the four convoys had been attacked and looted, and some women were reportedly raped while on route to Nyala.

With the continuing influx of IDPs moving into urban areas, communicable disease outbreaks are increasing.  A measles outbreak among some 200 children and adults was confirmed in Nertiti (west Darfur).  In El Meshtel camp, there were   10 new cases of measles, one confirmed death and three suspected deaths on 2 April.  In response, the WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Save the Children (UK), and the Ministry of Health have started a measles-vaccination campaign covering the El Meshtel camp and all of El Fasher town.  The UNICEF has airlifted additional supplies of vaccines and antibiotics in response to the outbreak in El Meshtel camp.

For further information, please call:  Stephanie Bunker, OCHA New York, tel. (917) 367-5126, mobile: (917) 892-1679; Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA Geneva, tel. 41 22 917 2653, mobile: 41(0) 79 473 4570.

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