The Darfur refugees are struggling to survive in campsites which are rundown and in poor conditions. In order to find a solution to the Darfur refugees housing problems, they have inaugurated 43 homes under the "Housing project."
Since 2003, the armed conflict in Darfur has led to millions of people living in refugee camps. Due to the conflicts refuges have sought refuge in camps in central Niyal. However, these camps are in very poor conditions and access to water is also problematic. Families who do not have a tent are living in rundown areas. In order to find a solution to the housing problem of the refugees, IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation began the housing project.
The project plans to have 74 houses in Amgonya which is located outside of the Niyal region. Currently, 43 houses are already complete while the others are under construction.
Within the scope of the Ramadan projects for 2014, the IHH team and state officials held an opening ceremony for 43 houses which were completed.
After the ceremony, the houses which were built by the IHH team were visited. The houses are made of reed woven straws. The houses are 3x3.5 meters in size, each have two bedrooms; the roof is covered with tarpaulin and has a 200 square meter courtyard. The materials used to build the houses are reeds of woven straws. The roof if covered with tarpaulin tents while the floors are covered with wire mesh. Although the houses are quite simple according to Turkey conditions they are quite luxurious and prosperous compared to other houses in this region.
The Bab-ı Alem President Ali Arikmert who went to this region with the IHH team stated that due to the conflict which is occurring in Darfur, this project is very important for villagers who sought refuge in Central Niyala’s campsites to return to their own villages, “People are still scared. This project is going to encourage them to return to their villages” he said.
Arikmert stated that the longer the people are staying in these camps the more they are getting used to constantly receiving and consuming ready to go goods “People were making a living one way or another through livestock and agriculture. They cannot produce any of this in the city or in refugee camps. They are getting used to continuously receiving and consuming goods. Laziness is growing like inertia” he said.
Ariktmert expressed that in the refugee camps, controlled by the UN, there is an up-rising of moral corruption and bad habits. He also stated that "In the long term all these problems will lead to results which cannot be solved. This project has been taken seriously so the community can return to the villages."
Arikmert added that immediate and permanent projects that are also needed in this region are education, health and water. These are the main areas that are a priority.
The foundation also plans to open a school, water wells and a mosque in the region within the scope of the project.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN DARFUR
In Sudan's western region Darfur the conflict has taken place since 2003 and is a scene to a serious humanitarian crisis. Approximately 2 million people have become refugees in the Darfur region and there are some certain meetings being carried out in Qatar to resolve the issue. However, major armed groups that are in the region who have power did not take place in these meetings.
In the Darfur region due to the intense armed conflict between the tribes, Sudan's army and rebel groups have moved away from stability. The instability in the region has reflected throughout Sudan in different ways.
Darfur is almost forgotten by the world and is actually a scene to the biggest humanitarian crisis in Africa. Covering an area of approximately 500 thousand square kilometres, the Darfur region literally resembles an open-air camp. Just in the year 2013 almost 380 thousand people were forced to leave the areas they lived in. 3.5 million people across Darfur are living in need of help. Large numbers of refugees are living in camps in big cities like Fasir, Zalince, Niyal, Jenin and Ed Daein.
The intense conflict that took place in South and North Darfur in the first months of 2014 resulted in 215 thousand people fleeing their homes. Especially in areas like Um Gunya, Khor Abeche and Saraf Omra there were intense clashes between the Sudanese army and rebel groups. Those who left their homes were forced to take refuge in camps to start a new life, in safer areas. The conflict in Darfur since 2003, has led to a huge humanitarian crisis and unfortunately, the solution to this crisis is not evident in the current circumstances.
