Displaced Sudanese in need of urgent protection as violent conflicts drag on

The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, warned Wednesday that the humanitarian emergency in Sudan triggered by two rival generals battling for control of the country has created a protection crisis both inside Sudan and in neighbouring countries of asylum that risks destabilizing the region the longer the conflict goes on.

More than 5.4 million people in Sudan have become uprooted from their homes since clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in mid-April, making this the fastest displacement crisis in the world.

The UNHCR says the dangers encountered by people fleeing violence also have made Sudan one of the largest protection crises facing the agency today.

“We are close to 1.1 million women, children, as well as older persons who have crossed the borders, often under very difficult circumstances,” said Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR regional refugee coordinator for the Sudan situation.

According to Abdouraouf Gnon Konde, UNHCR regional bureau director for West and Central Africa, Chad had become the epicenter of the Sudanese crisis with 420,000 new arrivals in the past six months, a number that was likely to reach 600,000 by the end of the year.

“This is a protection crisis. Of the many horror stories I heard, the scale of gender-based violence is particularly chilling, including sexual assault, rape, forced prostitution,” said Konde.

UNHCR officials say only 29% of the $1 billion aid agencies needed to combat the humanitarian emergency triggered by the conflict has been received, warning of serious repercussions for the millions of vulnerable people unable to fend for themselves if the international community does not close this funding shortfall.