It has been over four weeks since first setting foot in Africa, and some of the difficult, time consuming work is now coming to an end. As always a lot has been learnt during this particular assignment, my first in the Darfur regions of Sudan. All previous visits to this country have been in the south, many hundreds of miles from here. These have been by invitation of the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army, an organisation in conflict with the present government for many years.
I even have a document from the SPLA allowing me permission to enter and leave the country! In many ways South Sudan is different, culturally, physically and climatically to this central western region.
I should be staying in El Fasher for about one week prior to retracing my steps back to Nyala, where a couple of outstanding tasks need completing before flying back to Khartoum for a debrief and finally the UK, and home. Hopefully before the month is out. That’s the plan as I see it at present, whether it will be achieved remains to be seen. From past experience nothing ever runs smoothly on this continent. Working in the Humanitarian Aid business one always needs to be prepared for the unexpected, and sometimes for the worst. The move to this location, for instance, was entirely unpredictable, one minute I was washing clothes in El Genenia, the next minute a message came from the office that there was a spare seat available on a WFP flight to El Fasher, and, if I hurried I should just be able to catch it. Wrapping the articles in a towel, everything was then crammed, still wet, into the suitcase followed by a quick journey to the airstrip and I was taking off for El Fasher. Where I now find myself in residence. In case you are wondering about the flights, World Food Program run a Cessna Caravan aircraft around the region mainly for their own staff and, where space is available, they allow other aid agency employees to use the facility for free. It’s on a first come, first served basis. Either booking in advance, or, as in my case, on a try it and see what happens basis. It works well enough, although when the service first started, 72 hours notice was needed for non-WFP people to reserve a seat. This was later amended as some of the flights were being made without passengers, simply to pick up members of their own staff who requested transport to another location.
First impressions of El Fasher are that it is a good step up from the previous location. The airstrip, for instance, has a solid foundation and is covered in tarmac with the airport facilities much improved from El Geneina. It was surprising to discover that there were even a few airport trolleys available for luggage. However, most of them were marked, property of BAA Heathrow! Brought in no doubt by transport planes from time to time over the years.
My second day in El Fasher has been disastrous. Moving out from here early in the morning to the refugee and displaced persons camps we were advised to turn back after about ten miles. It was reported that some Janjaweed activity had taken place in the market area of a village we were just about to pass through. Shots had been fired in anger and there were reports of some deaths occurring. Our radio base station was immediately informed of the problem, which triggered the UN and NGO security networks, thus advising other agencies of the present situation. After discussions all aid agency personnel were withdrawn from the area, a difficult logistic operation as some members of staff were in areas the other side of the incident and were completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation. Revenge attacks now being a distinct possibility as they had occurred when similar incidents had taken place before. Later on during the day, towards the evening, one of the Land Rovers, hired locally by Oxfam, returning from work in the local Abu Shouk camp and carrying 7 people (1 Driver and 6 Oxfam employees) overturned, resulting in some casualties, one passenger later dying from his injuries with some of the others confined to hospital. A tragic day for the families, and the team, here in El Fasher. For the next few days most of our relief activities will be restricted and at a minimum level as all the passengers were local staff recruited within the last few months and the person who died was an experienced team leader. It will be difficult to find a replacement for him let alone the others. In all discussions regarding security risk management and implementation undertaken by humanitarian aid organisations worldwide, it is the number of fatalities, due to accidents caused by excessive speed that tops the list of incidents. Far and above kidnappings or deaths by shooting.
Travelling through the Abu Shouk refugee camp, located about 2 miles from El Fasher, one comes face to face with the enormity of the disaster and the many problems being dealt with by aid agencies trying to provide help for such a large number of people. This one camp alone provides temporary shelters and basic amenities for over 55 thousand people of all ages. The camp covers, as you can imagine, a fairly large area. This has been laid out in the familiar grid pattern and provides water, sanitation and food to people who are used to living and working in small village communities. Who now find themselves in unfamiliar surrounding, many having lost touch with the rest of their families. In some cases the men have started producing sun-dried bricks to make the temporary homes more permanent and to offer better protection from bandits who regularly raid when it is dark. A couple of nights ago shots were fired in the camp resulting in a few more people being injured. For once there were no casualties and no fatalities. One of our guards however was shot at. He was quite fortunate as the bullet caused a flesh wound only, completely missing the bones in his foot. Just one of the typical events happening throughout the many camps dotted all over Darfur. Almost daily we hear of further instances of fighting and slaughter taking place in the region. It’s no wonder that new refugees keep arriving every day to swell the numbers in the camps, so increasing the problems for everyone involved.
We have now come to the end of Ramadan, with the festival of Eid following directly afterwards. In some ways, this is equivalent to the Christian tradition of Christmas. A holiday at the end of a month long fasting and prayer period. The festivities slow work in the camps, as much essential activity is temporarily closed, as it is with our holiday periods in the UK, until the celebrations are over and the local staff return to work. For myself, I hope to complete the work here by the end of this week, and move on. My latest attempt to move back to Nyala being thwarted. Arrived at the airport in plenty of time with bags packed only to discover that the flight had been cancelled at the very last minute. Just another of the best laid plans coming to nought, once again. Nothing is ever for certain here in Darfur. Plenty of patience is an essential requirement of the job; otherwise you will be lucky to survive for long.
Have a nice day.
And drive carefully around Martley!
J.