Sudanese Refugee Camp

Ethiopia hosts a large population of refugees from many African countries including Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, Liberia, Djibouti, Uganda, South Africa, and Yemen. However, refugees from Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea make up the majority. Currently there are a total of nine refugee camps located in the east, west, and northern parts of the country. The refugee camp that we visited housed refugees primarily from Sudan. Most of the Sudanese refugees arrived in Ethiopia in the early 1980s. Many of the people in these camps have lived in them for so long that the camp is all they know. New arrivals continue to flow into Ethiopia because of conflicts in Sudan. The conflicts in Sudan are a result of religious, ethnic, economical, and tribal differences. The refugee population in Ethiopia reached its peak of more than 300,000 in 1991. The number has now reduced substantially, and currently stands at 90,806 (World Food Program Monthly Food Requirements March 2004).

The camp that we visited was called Fugnido refugee camp, which is 2 hours from Gambella, Ethiopia. Fugnido is the largest camp, hosting about 35 per cent of current Sudanese refugees. In 2002, ethnic clashes within the camps resulted in the death and displacement of many refugees. Clashes between two major tribes: the Anuak and Nuer tribes as well as other clashes between the northern and southern Sudanese have become common in the Fugnido, Bonga, and Sherkole camps. During our visit, we learned that today there are over 20,000 people living in the Anuak and Nuer refugee camps. Many people were displaced and sent to other locations due to clashes between tribes. Although due to the ongoing conflicts in Sudan, the number of refugees is expected to rise. In general, people become refugees for a number of reasons but the most common are:Conflict-induced, Economic, or Political. Refugee influxes in Ethiopia are primarily a result of ongoing political and civil unrest as well as recurring natural disasters in neighboring countries.

While we were at the refugee camp, we brought 525 pair of underwear to give out to the children in the camp. There were many more children than what we had to give but those who did receive the underwear were grateful. Many of the refugees that live in the camps learned to speak English and requested that the next time that we come back to bring English Bibles. There are many people who live in these camps who are not blessed with the material things that we have in the United States, but despite all of our wealth, the people in these camps don’t complain about not having the material things that we take for granted.