General Situation

More and more internally displaced people (IDPs) are coming to existing camps daily. The International Organization for Migration estimates that 1.2 million IDPs are now within the region of greater Darfur. The standard of living is deteriorating due to the constant flow of new arrivals. For the U.N. system and NGOs, this means the struggle of getting water, non-food items, shelter and medical help to established camps is never-ending. The need to expand to accommodate new arrivals seems to be constant at this time.

In Nyala and surrounding areas, the situation seems to be calm, although there have been incidents that have forced Kalma Camp (56,000 residents) to close for about five days. Apparently, a translator for an NGO was accused of participating in atrocities and was killed. This led to a wish for revenge from his family who wanted to burn down the camp. Tension is therefore running high in Kalma. This matter is being investigated. There are also reported shootings by the Janjaweed in a marketplace in Mershing. In the Zalingei area where ACT/Caritas are setting up an office, tension is reportedly rising, although at this stage it has not affected ACT/Caritas preparations for operational tasks.

The World Food Program currently has access to 119 of 147 known camps in Darfur (As of August 6). There are reportedly fresh attacks from the Janjaweed, and women are still victims of sexual assault in camps when they collect firewood. There are also reported outbreaks of hepatitis E in camps, with a mortality rate of 80 percent so far.

Emergency Short-term Intervention

Water and sanitation staff and the field communicator traveled to Otash, a newly established camp on the outskirts of Nyala with approximately 20,000 people, 95 percent of them women, children and elderly. Most are newcomers, and they live in desert land without access to proper shelter, water, and health facilities. In coordination with WES (water and sanitation), ACT/Caritas will provide two 20,000-liter bladder tanks to this camp to ease the population's access to clean water. No official assessment/counting has been reported, but according to residents of the camp, children and the elderly are dying, illness is spreading rapidly (malaria, TB and general weakness due to malnourishment and no proper access to sanitary facilities). Water specialists (WatSan) continue to monitor the situation through the coordination board to see if any more intervention is necessary from ACT/Caritas. The same goes for other sections of the Nyala office.

Water and Sanitation

• ACT/Caritas, SUDO and SCC forwarded a request to the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner (HAC) on August 10 regarding importation of a drilling rig to Darfur to improve access to clean water among the IDPs of the greater Darfur region. The drilling rig will also be used for later rehabilitation of water points. This will be a necessity in the process of later repatriation of IDPs to their original villages. HAC granted the request on August 14. Water specialists have been writing a budget for the purchase of a rig, which will be forwarded to Khartoum and NCA Oslo. It is planned to drill up to 100 borehole wells with the new rig. The budget will be approximately $600,000.

• Zalingei: On August 17, two vehicles left for Zalingei accompanied by two Water specialist engineers. The Zalingei team intends to increase the capacity of SUDO and to assist IDPs with water, latrine construction, and health promotion. A lorry followed with construction materials for latrines in areas already identified by Water specialist engineers. Some of the construction will be in schools to provide some 1,600 children with safe sanitation. A logistician will be appointed to Zalingei in the near future.
  
• Kalma camp has, as mentioned before, been closed for some days. Apparently, it is about to be opened again and ACT/Caritas intend to assist with water and sanitation. Team leader Tom O'Neill has had discussions with SUDO about the approach ACT/Caritas will adopt for this intervention.

Health and Nutrition

• A team has traveled to Kubum on a joint trip with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health to deliver drugs (health kits are provided by UNICEF) to health centers in Kubum and Um labassa that serve IDPs and host families. ACT/Caritas has, prior to this, set up emergency health facilities.

• The team will identify training and other needs as a basis for the design of activities for mobile health teams.

• Planned activities: Identifying new project areas in coordination with the Ministry of Health. Areas to be visited: Southern Nyala (Abu Ajora, Sanya Dleiba, Tabaldiat, Drabe Al Reeh, Keriri camp (near Nyala), Markundi, and Budo (near Kubum).