The International Organization for Migration has been at work in Sudan since 1982. In addition to its country office in Khartoum , IOM has opened in 2004 three field offices in the Darfur region: Al Geneina in the West; Nyala in the South; and El Fashir in the North. IOM activities in Darfur are aimed at supporting displaced and conflict-affected populations. IOM is providing relief activities to IDPs in Al Geneina through the coordination of camp management and IDP registration. These activities are expected to be extended to Nyala in the coming weeks.
IOM field offices report that the overall operating environment in Darfur is one of heightened caution as sporadic outbreaks of violence occur between forces of the Government and the SLA . The South has seen regular outbreaks of fighting and, most recently, fighting broke out with reported deaths and injuries in the immediate vicinity of Al Geneina town. Population displacement is ongoing, and new arrivals continue to be noted in camps throughout the region and particularly in South Darfur .
These movements are overwhelmingly attributed to continued reports of conflict, rights abuses particularly against women, and the sporadic nature of aid assistance resulting from inaccessibility to certain areas and a strained logistical pipeline. Outbreaks of violence and, increasingly, banditry continue to limit operational access to some areas. The vast majority of camps and settlements are monitored and supported only on an irregular, ad hoc basis by aid agencies. Most camps do not have a regular international presence responsible for monitoring conditions.
IOM Humanitarian Assistance to Darfur
IOM humanitarian assistance operations in Darfur are guided by a 9 August letter from the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, tasking IOM with responsibility for the organization and management of assistance to clustered IPD populations, as well as for the design of a standardized registration and tracking mechanism for pilot implementation in Geneina and Nyala.
Registration
The registration process is the first to capture data on family composition, such as age and gender, as well as information on places of origin and current situation of displacement. Reporting from a centralized database will be shared with the UN Humanitarian Information Center (HIC) as well as operational agencies, partners and stakeholders.
IOM has developed a database to support entry of this registration information and production of distribution cards or camp ID documents and is finalizing a standardized registration form to ensure that data profiles will support a broad range of relief activities including the targeted distribution of food and relief supplies. IOM has recently conducted a dual phase pilot registration at two urban IDP sites in the immediate area of Al Geneina town, covering approximately 53,000 IDPs. The first phase of registration covered the population of Zelingi University in Al Geneina, who have been identified for voluntary relocation from the public school in which they sought temporary shelter. The registration identified 502 families of 3224 individuals. IOM is still concluding the data inputs from the Phase Two registration of the Riyad IDP site in Al Geneina town.
IDP Camp Coordination
The construction of the new 6300m2 Al Madrassa camp site on the outskirts of Al Geneina town is nearing completion. Partner inputs have contributed to the successful camp set-up, addressing in particular site set-up, installation of the water system and provision of water supplys. IOM is working to prepare the site in accordance with SPHERE standards, holistically addressing fire safety, security, cultural, gender and community concerns in the lay-out of the camp. Common spaces will be provided for education, health care and recreational activities, as well as an aid distribution point.
On its completion, some 15,000 IDPs are expected to relocate from public buildings and spontaneous locations in the town of Al Geneina , to the Al Madrassa site. The new site will relieve the increasingly evident burden on host community infrastructure and services posed by massive and ongoing displacement into Al Geneina itself. Nyala is under equally concerning conditions.
Management and Coordination Mechanism for Voluntary Return
On 21 August, IOM signed an MOU with the Government of Sudan and the United Nations, establishing the basis of a commitment to voluntary returns and initiating the Management and Coordination Mechanism for the Voluntary Return of Internally Displaced Persons in Darfur (MCM).
From 23 to 29 September, IOM and UNOCHA jointly organized a consultation round with international aid partners in Darfur , covering Nyala, Geneina and Al Fashir. The consultations were aimed at including field perspectives and recommendations in the formulation of implementing arrangements for the MCM.
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