Complaining of the Authorities’ Harassment and the International Community’s Neglect, Sudanese Refugees in Chad Face the Odds

Sudanhorizon – Suna

The Sudanese News Agency (SUNA) reported that civilian committees among Sudanese refugees in Chad have raised doubts about the true intentions of international entities pushing for the opening of crossings in Darfur to deliver aid to areas controlled by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The committees claimed that this move aims to supply the RSF with resources.
The agency added that the civilian committees criticised the international community’s pressure on Sudanese authorities to open border crossings, particularly the Adré crossing, which connects West Darfur State to Chad. They argued that the RSF is exploiting this crossing to transport weapons. UN experts confirmed this earlier, reporting that the RSF received arms shipments from the UAE through Chad.
Recently, cries for help have intensified from Sudanese refugees in camps in eastern Chad, particularly in the Meli, Farchana, and Touloum camps, due to the lack of food. Refugees have stated that they have not received any humanitarian aid, including food, shelter, or healthcare since they arrived in these camps last year.
Large groups of refugees have announced their intention to return to Sudan to preserve their dignity and avoid the humiliation they experience from Chad’s official authorities. Protests demanding basic needs have been suppressed with military force, and some prominent figures have been arrested.
The committees also criticised UN agencies for failing to meet the refugees’ minimum requirements as outlined in the International Covenant on Human Rights and the UN Charter. They called on the international community to pressure the host country to grant Sudanese refugees their rights and protect them from military oppression in the camps where they are living under exceptional circumstances.
The refugees complained of the Chadian authorities’ mistreatment and the failure of UN agencies, while international bodies are pressuring the Sudanese government to cooperate in assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan. Meanwhile, Sudanese refugees have endured over a year of neglect and abandonment by the international community.