During the final week of July, violence in the Kalma and Hamadiya internally displaced persons (IDP) camps developed after disagreements between displaced civilians who support the Doha peace process and those in opposition to the talks. The conflict became increasingly volatile after the Sudanese Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid faction (SLA-AW) began sporadically shooting in Kalma camp in order to intimidate those who supported the Doha talks. Over the following week the situation escalated after protests turned into rioting that resulted in the deaths of 13 IDPs and wounded another 45 in Kalma with at least 3 killed in Hamadiya camp near Zalingei. Many leaders fled to UNAMID-controlled headquarters to seek safe haven. While violence has begun to subside, the situation remains critical as a result of weeks of limited humanitarian access and resource shortages.
Before the violence in late July and early August, the Kalma camp was the second largest IDP in the world with an estimated 100,000 displaced Darfuris residing within it; however, according to the Human Rights and Advocacy Network for Democracy (HAND) up to 60% of civilians who lived in Kalma are reported to have fled to Nyala and the neighboring camps of Baba and Bilail after conditions worsened as a result of violence and resources limitations. Beginning on August 2nd the Government of Sudan blocked humanitarian organizations from providing aid to IDPs in Kalma. In a statement released on August 16th, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon expressed his concern about the turmoil and limitation of humanitarian access in Kalma. This obstruction continued until August 17th, when humanitarians were briefly given access to Kalma. Until this brief resupply, the camp was without fuel necessary to operate water pumps. The following day, aid groups were once again prevented from entering the camp by the Sudanese Government.
Today it appears that the government has once again opened up humanitarian access to Kalma; hopefully this time the access will be permanent. Despite the re-opening of access, two weeks without humanitarian aid led to a rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation inside Kalma. Resource shortages have increased drastically since June as access to fuel, food, water, and medical supplies were severely restricted.
In another blow to IDPs and civilians throughout Darfur, the Government of Sudan expelled five humanitarian officials from the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Sunday. This follows the recent expulsions of two officials from the International Organization for Migration in July. Such expulsions, threats of further expulsions, and the obstruction of humanitarian access in many areas of Darfur cannot be allowed to persist. If the Government of Sudan truly wants to prove its dedication to peacefully resolving the crisis in Darfur, it must immediately cease all restrictions and allow full humanitarian access not only to Kalma camp, but throughout Darfur.











