Angelina Jolie's Sudan Journal - UNHCR

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camp. So maybe the sheikhs are collecting and not distributing the rations. Butthat is an allegation I won’t make.The woman whose husband was killed also works as a cleaner in town. Shewalks two hours each way. She makes less than 200 dinars, which is less thanUS$1. The grandmother also walks, risking violence, outside the camp to collectfirewood.“We should go in groups or else they find us and beat us on the head.” Again thechildren gather. The girls giggle if I smile at them. The woman says, “I need morework to feed the orphans.” “Orphans?” I ask, confused. Then it is explained to meif a parent is killed they call the children orphans. “We are pleased to be here andsafe.”Along the dusty road, children are gathered together. What is happening, Iwonder. “Two chameleons are mating.” I suppose sex and animals are funny inany language.A little boy warns of big ants on the ground. All over. In fact, a few crawl up mypants. I feel one bite my knee and I squash it, then one on my backside. I can’tkill it without embarrassing myself. God it hurts. Eventually I embarrass myself.We say goodbye. They smile and wave.I take a 30 minute nap. Actually I passed out. Then Mimi brings me to the roof ofthe office to meet with Rick and Chris. They are here on an emergency mission.Francis joins us. “The refugee mandate is very clear. The legal process has to bethe Collaborative Approach to help IDPs. But IDPs are captive to politics.”UNHCR came in very late. Working with north and south and is very busy inChad. But with refugee-like situations for IDPs, the UN Secretary-General askedUNHCR to look after West Darfur.“There is a major gap for protection here. UNHCR is doing a lot but NGOs areway ahead. They are the eyes and ears of the international community now.UNHCR has to get access to areas of origin to see how to make it safe andstable to go back.”“UNHCR wants to work as part of UN to work with government and NGOs. Wedon’t want people displaced and living in IDP camps for 20 years. Buildingconfidence in a community. Ground level work. Get in the field.”10
“We are late but we’re here. Regularly going to the same villages. Following upon promises.” “Do you have the means for proper assistance?” I ask. “Yes wecould certainly start to take big steps forward, but it is the absence of propersecurity that is in our way.” It’s still going on. The government will say it’speaceful but if returned too early the people would become hostage to rebelgroups. We plan to start with one or two pilot projects and make sure they workwell.There are a lot of NGOs but there are still more needs than assistance (Clickhere for the list of NGOs.)Government says people are coming back from Chad. True? Or not true? If it istrue why not let the international community join and see that the people are trulyvolunteering to return and that they are given the help promised. Are theydropped in a safe place? (There have been rumors of women and childrendropped in dangerous areas.)Still many IDPs are out of reach of any aid relief.There was a report that 40% were not receiving aid. “How are they surviving?”Many are — somehow. We don’t yet understand these nomadic people, thesecultures. They are very resilient people, interesting people. Still, even thestrongest will only be able to survive so long. We have to look at their own tribalmechanisms to help resolve this conflict. That is something that UNHCR can do.Start talking to the village leaders, the tribal leaders.So many tribes and so much fighting. The word genocide is complicated. Leavethat to tribunals, courts and lawyers. What is certain is that there are thousandskilled, thousands raped and many being starved to death at this very moment.Ethnic cleansing? Yes. Grotesque human rights violations.Tonight is Ramadan. The local and international staff will eat together. They willbreak fast at 19:23. But 20:30 is curfew and they will have to leave before curfewto have time to get home. Dinner will be very short. Everyone is watching theclock.Yes there needs to be accountability for the violations. But it is not as simple orclear as Arab vs. Black, one good or bad. In the west we seem to want goodguys and bad guys. It is not that simple.As for the refugee population in Chad, the government can’t maintain over200,000 refugees for long. It has already drained the local population.Francis announces we have to stop the meeting. The local staff have arrived andthey will come up when you hear the prayer. It is time to break the fast. The11
Page 1 and 2: Angelina Jolie’s Sudan Journal“
Page 3 and 4: the Darfur region of western Sudan
Page 5 and 6: The biggest problem here is moving
Page 7 and 8: Women are second class citizens. It
Page 9: We speak with the men gathered unde
Page 13 and 14: At the helicopter we meet Nick, the
Page 15 and 16: The men tell me about 10 Janjaweed
Page 17 and 18: I meet with a woman who was raped a
Page 19 and 20: UNHCR/ R. EkThey shake hands and to
Page 21 and 22: ills. Feeding center for malnourish
Page 23 and 24: We enter the IDP camp. It blends in
Page 25 and 26: October 27, 2004The future of Afric
Page 27: Presented here are the unedited tho

Angelina Jolie's Sudan Journal - UNHCR

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