Adré, July 29( Darfur24)
Chadian authorities have begun demolition of a makeshift Adré camp for Sudanese refugees, as part of measures aimed at evacuating the camp and transferring its refugees to permanent camps, according to refugee reports.
A refugee, who spoke to Darfur24 on conditions of anonymity, said that the authorities justified the move by stating that the Adré camp was designated solely for receiving and handling emergencies, and that transferring refugees to permanent camps aimed to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and basic services.
He added that the Chadian authorities and the UNHCR had attempted in recent days to persuade refugees to leave by offering financial and in-kind assistance to some families. However, these efforts failed to achieve the desired results before the demolition of several shelters began.
He noted that the Dismantling was met with resistance from a number of young people within the camp, who intervened to halt the process. This led to a temporary suspension of the demolition work, amidst widespread resentment among the refugees, who felt the move had displaced the affected families.
The refugees demanded a halt to any forced evictions and the provision of safe alternative housing, taking into account the humanitarian circumstances of the households, particularly children and the elderly, before implementing any further action.
Darfur24 was unable to obtain comment from the Chadian authorities or the UNHCR regarding this matter.