Living the scourge of war twice: Why do Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia continue to suffer?

After fleeing the hell of war in Sudan, more than 6,000 Sudanese refugees now find themselves trapped in the crossfire of another conflict in Ethiopia. Since May 1, 2024, they have been forced to live in a forest in the Olala area of Ethiopia's Amhara region.

These refugees claim that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) placed them in unsafe camps within this conflict-ridden region, where armed groups like the Fano militia are rebelling against the central government. As a result, the refugees are exposed to constant threats that jeopardize their mental and physical well-being. They have faced numerous attacks that put their lives in danger, including being subjected to looting and even being held hostage for ransom.

Initially, the Sudanese refugees were divided between two camps, Olala and Komer, near the border. However, they left these camps en masse after issuing several distress calls, explaining their dire circumstances through statements issued by the Sudanese Refugee Coordination Committee in the Amhara region. They eventually sought refuge in a forested area, where they now live under extremely precarious conditions, receiving minimal support from UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations. There, the situation worsens daily due to heavy rains, the spread of diseases, and the deteriorating security situation in the region.

Around 6,000 Sudanese refugees say that the UNHCR placed them in unsafe camps within a conflict-ridden region in Ethiopia, where Fano armed militias are rebelling against the central government. This decision, they say, disregarded the psychological and physical toll on the refugees, as they face repeated attacks by armed bandits.

According to the Displacement Tracking System (DTM) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the war in Sudan, which began on April 15, 2023, has triggered one of the largest displacement crises in the world. More than 7.9 million people have been displaced internally to safer cities, and around 2 million have fled to neighboring countries, including around 58,000 refugees in Ethiopia. These refugees face harsh conditions in many of these host countries, where they receive insufficient humanitarian aid and are subjected to bureaucratic delays.

These numbers were last updated by the International Organization for Migration on July 29, 2024.

Casualties among refugees

In a troubling escalation of the security situation, the Sudanese Refugee Coordination Committee reported in a statement on July 20, 2024, that refugees stranded in the Olala forest were attacked by an armed group, resulting in two deaths and 17 injuries. Five days later, on July 25, another statement detailed a new assault in which gunfire was shot into the air, and refugees were beaten with sticks and the butt of their guns, leaving more than 15 injured. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the second attack.

"We lose someone every day, and we receive no aid from the concerned organizations. In addition, the Sudanese embassy in Addis Ababa doesn’t communicate with us, and the UNHCR claims they can’t reach us due to the dangerous security situation.”

The refugee coordination committee's statements linked the timing of these attacks to a threat the refugees claimed they received from the Ethiopian Refugees and Returnees Service (RSS). They were reportedly told that force would be used if they refused to voluntarily relocate to the Aftit refugee camp, while the stranded refugees continued to demand relocation outside of Ethiopia or return to Sudan.

“War is better than the Ethiopian camps”

Ibrahim Saboun, a spokesperson for the stranded refugees, told Raseef22 that they are enduring severe hardships without any satisfactory solutions. He mentioned that one of the options proposed by the US Embassy in Addis Ababa was to relocate those sheltering in the forest to the Aftit refugee camp west of Gondar. However, Saboun highlighted that this camp is still within the increasingly insecure Amhara region, and it is only about 25 kilometers from the two camps—Olala and Komer—that the refugees had already fled.

It’s worth noting that the US Embassy in Addis Ababa has been one of the key actors in finding solutions for Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia. The United States is also one of the largest donors to the UN, contributing approximately $14 billion annually.

Saboun added that the crisis would persist if the refugees were moved to this camp, calling it a continuation of the same mistake. He emphasized that their demand is "clear," which is to be relocated to camps outside the Amhara region entirely. He also noted that when they were first assigned to the Olala and Komer camps, they protested but were given "guarantees and assurances" that never materialized.

Omar Mohammed Ahmed, one of the refugees stranded in Ethiopia's Olala forest, tells Raseef22 that he prefers to return to Sudan despite the ongoing war rather than stay in the unsafe Ethiopian refugee camps or the forest they took refuge in, noting that even the Ethiopian police cannot protect their own personnel from armed rebels, let alone the refugees.

Najla Ali, an activist advocating for the stranded refugees, echoed Saboun's sentiments, telling Raseef22 that around 1,000 refugees, representing those still in the Komer camp, have been relocated to the new Aftit camp. She added, "The reports we've received indicate that the camp is unprepared and cannot accommodate this number of people, with some of them being placed in local schools due to the lack of adequate space."

Najla Ali questions, "How can this camp possibly accommodate the 6,080 refugees stranded in the forest when it couldn't even hold 1,000?"

Omar Mohammed Ahmed, one of the refugees stranded in Ethiopia's Olala forest, spoke of the security and health risks he and the other refugees face. He explained that they are subjected to various forms of violence, including murder, theft, and kidnapping for ransom. With the rainy season approaching, the increasing rainfall poses additional health threats.

"We lose someone every day, and we receive no aid from the concerned organizations. In addition, the Sudanese embassy in Addis Ababa doesn’t communicate with us, and the UNHCR claims they can’t reach us due to the dangerous security situation," Ahmed tells Raseef22.

The United Nations’ efforts to address the refugee crisis caused by the war in Sudan face significant funding shortages. Only 21% of the required $1.51 billion has been secured. As for the funds allocated explicitly for Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, only 12% of the needed $175 million has been provided.

He added that UNHCR staff had visited the forest only twice since they took refuge there. He expressed a preference to return to Sudan despite the ongoing war rather than stay in the forest or the unsafe Ethiopian camps, noting that even the Ethiopian police cannot protect their own personnel from armed rebels, let alone the refugees.

Efforts falling short of the current crisis

In general, the United Nations’ efforts to address the refugee crisis caused by the war in Sudan face significant funding shortages. Only 21% of the required $1.51 billion has been secured. As for the funds allocated explicitly for Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia, only 12% of the needed $175 million has been provided.

In a statement to Raseef22, Faith Kasina, regional spokesperson for the UNHCR in East Africa, Horn of Africa, and Great Lakes, said that only "1,000 refugees are stranded in the Olala forest, not more than 6,000 as claimed by the Sudanese Refugee Coordination Committee." She also mentioned that the UNHCR is "concerned about their unstable conditions, especially as the rains intensify during this time of the year."

Kasina confirmed that the UNHCR, along with national authorities, had been in regular contact with the protesting refugees over the past months, explaining the steps being taken to address the situation. These include increasing police patrols and reinforcing security along the Olala road while encouraging the refugees to return to the camp, as some refugee families still reside there.

Lawyer and human rights advocate Noon Kashkoush informed Raseef22 that the stranded Sudanese refugees are victims of war twice—once in Sudan and again when they sought refuge in Ethiopia, where they were placed in camps within the increasingly insecure Amhara region.

Kasina also states that their teams "are on the ground providing basic humanitarian aid to Sudanese refugees in camps such as Olala, including food, water, medical services, shelter, and education." She further clarified that the UNHCR began relocating more than 2,700 refugees to the new Aftit camp on July 29, including 120 refugees who had been living along the highway near the Olala forest and others who had been camping near the Komer police station.

The UNHCR regional spokesperson emphasized that the new site provides better access to services and greater security, expressing regret over the recent attacks on some refugees by what she referred to as "criminals," which resulted in two deaths and several injuries. "The UNHCR is currently caring for them and providing the necessary medical support," she added. Kasina urged the refugees stranded in the forest to heed the calls to return to the camps prepared for them to avoid such incidents.

Media blackout and security deterioration

Lawyer and human rights advocate, Noon Kashkoush, informed Raseef22 that these stranded refugees are victims of war twice—once in Sudan and again when they sought refuge in Ethiopia, where they were placed in camps within the increasingly insecure Amhara region. This, according to her, is why they are not receiving the needed support. She explained that they are currently in a war zone, an emergency area that is not under the control of the Ethiopian government, which prevents the government from allowing any visits to the camps. Despite the UNHCR's efforts, the delivery of food and medical aid is hindered by the deteriorating security situation in the region, where militias like Fano and Shifta gangs are in control.

"How can it possibly accommodate the 6,080 refugees stranded in the forest when the refugee camp couldn't even hold 1,000?"

Kashkoush attributed the lack of attention to the refugees' plight to Ethiopia being a country with limited press freedom and inadequate human rights support, which has prevented media and human rights advocates from documenting their suffering and advocating for them effectively.

However, Kashkoush mentioned reports that the Ethiopian government has approved land in a safe area to establish a new camp for the stranded refugees, which is being prepared with the help of international humanitarian partners. Nevertheless, she stressed that these circumstances do not absolve the UNHCR of its responsibility to provide security and protection for the refugees.

Kashkoush also emphasized that Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries are not treated according to international refugee conventions, despite these countries having signed them. She added that the Sudanese government, represented by its embassy in Addis Ababa, is limited in its ability to provide much assistance, as these refugees are under the jurisdiction of the Ethiopian government and the UNHCR.

Lawyer and human rights advocate Noon Kashkoush attributed the lack of attention to the refugees' plight to Ethiopia being a country with limited press freedom and inadequate human rights support, which has prevented media and human rights advocates from documenting their suffering and advocating for them effectively.

A source from the Sudanese embassy, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the embassy had played a coordination role between the Sudanese government and relevant organizations in Ethiopia. The Sudanese ambassador met with Ethiopia's foreign minister and the head of the Ethiopian Refugees and Returnees Service (RSS), while Sudan's representative to the UN engaged with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva to find urgent solutions to the crisis.

The source also mentioned that the Sudanese authorities have expressed their readiness to receive any refugee who opts for voluntary return, once the necessary measures are in place. He noted that humanitarian aid can easily be delivered through Port Sudan, but the embassy has yet to receive any list of refugees wishing to return, and the information they have indicates that the refugees prefer resettlement in a third European country. He stressed that the embassy's role is limited to coordination regarding voluntary returns.

It is worth noting that Ethiopia is the second-largest host of refugees in Africa, sheltering more than 847,000 refugees from 19 countries, primarily from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. Ethiopia faces numerous challenges in fulfilling its obligations to these refugees, most notably financial difficulties. The UNHCR’s operational plan for refugee response in 2017 had a funding requirement of $307.5 million, of which only 20% has been funded.