SUDAN: Displaced people suffering from lack of food, shelter

Inter-factional fighting, rebel activity and conflict along Sudan's border with Eritrea have caused further population movements in various parts of the country, humanitarian sources told IRIN on Wednesday. This has left some of the displaced with no food or shelter. A recent joint WFP/government registration exercise recorded 8,300 war-affected persons in need of relief food in the central Jonglei region. WFP said it also planned to provide food relief this month to about 6,000 people displaced by insecurity near the Eritrean border. Humanitarian agencies have warned of a possible influx of people from northern Bahr al Ghazal to the Safaha area. Operation Lifeline Sudan said 100 families had already arrived, requiring agency interventions. In Upper Nile, there is an influx of displaced people arriving in Nasir, Adong and Gelacel from Adomg, Doma, Abong and Dini as a result of inter-factional fighting. "The IDPs are without food or shelter and efforts are underway to mobilise assistance for them," OLS said. Besides the ongoing fighting, NGOs working in Unity state have reported increased population movements into Bentiu and Tong due to food shortages. OLS said the influx was from neighbouring rural areas, and the new arrivals were mostly women and children. Meanwhile, UNHCR is providing assistance to some 29,500 refugees in Chad's Adre region. The refugees have been fleeing fighting in western Sudan since 1997, particularly in the Darfur area. Last week, a Sudanese tribunal sentenced 10 people to death by crucifixion for starting tribal clashes in the Darfur region earlier this year, press reports said. Some 131 people were killed in the clashes between Arab nomads and Messalit tribesmen. In addition, 23 villages were destroyed and more than 5,000 people reportedly fled their homes.