Food running out in Sudan refugee camps

The UN World Food Programme on Tuesday warned that it is running out of food aid to assist more than 91,000 Eritrean refugees living in camps in Sudan. In a press release, it said the agency had already been forced to cut by almost half the amount of food being distributed, and may have to suspend the operation altogether if donations dry up. "We are appealing to donors to come forward urgently with contributions to assist the Eritrean refugees," said WFP's Country Director in Sudan, Ronald Sibanda. "Many people are ready to go home but until they do, our help is all they have." WFP is currently assisting 91,000 refugees who are expected to return home in the course of next year as part of a major voluntary repatriation exercise organised by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). About 50,000 refugees have voluntarily returned to Eritrea in the last 18 months. Concentrated in 20 camps in the eastern part of the country, the Eritrean refugees in Sudan - who fled fighting during the 30-year war of independence at home - live in an extremely impoverished state, the statement said. WFP needs a total of 9,769 mt of mixed food commodities, valued at approximately US $5.2 million, to assist the refugees until they are repatriated next year. Many of the high-energy commodities in the food aid package are rapidly running out, and rations have had to be reduced. "This is putting the nutritional well-being and health of the refugees at severe risk as they consume less than the daily calorific requirement dictated by international norms," the statement warned. "We have a tremendous responsibility towards these people," said Sibanda. "We are their only hope and we cannot abandon them."