The past few hours have witnessed a noticeable increase in the number of forced returnees Security conditions And poor living conditions Displacement Again from their areas of origin, especially in the capital Khartoum And the island state.
Unofficial data estimated the number of those forced to flee again from the capital, Khartoum, and Gezira State, at more than 200,000 during the period from mid-September until now.
Big trick
Media outlets calling for a military solution published many messages encouraging residents to return to their areas of residence, claiming that a “military solution” to the war was imminent, but many observers considered these messages to be “explosive” and contributed to deceiving thousands of people fleeing the combat zones.
Abdulaziz Sayyed supports this hypothesis. Sayyed told Sky News Arabia: “Our hopes were completely dashed, and the joy of return only lasted a few hours. We discovered that we had fallen into a big “trap,” as we found security and living conditions worse than those that forced us to flee at the beginning of the war.”
He added, “I don’t know how my children escaped death during the hours we spent in our home after returning… The sounds of bullets and explosions surrounded us from all sides… There was no electricity or water, and the area was completely dark, and the only light we could see was the ray of fire emanating from… Aerial and ground bombardment.
Sayed points out the great difficulties he faced when he tried to leave again to the areas of displacement. He explains, “When we left at the beginning of the war, there was more than one way to reach the Nile and Northern states, but now the situation has changed dramatically and there are security complications that make moving from one place to another difficult.” “It is fraught with great risks.”
Other areas are no different from the situation experienced by those returning to Khartoum, as many residents of the areas of Gezira State in the center of the country were forced to flee again after a return that was also fraught with dangers and difficulties.
After areas in the east of the island witnessed relative calm during the last four weeks, bloody clashes renewed in the region on Sunday, forcing thousands of residents to leave their homes again and migrate to other areas.
Activists posted on social media pictures showing dozens of residents of the Timbul area in the east of the island fleeing their homes on foot and animals after all means of transportation stopped due to the bloody events that took place in the area on Monday and Tuesday, which led to the killing of at least 300 people.
Logical reasons
According to Mohamed Khalifa, a professor of political science at Sudanese universities, many of those who returned to the areas from which they fled when the fighting broke out were unable to reach a true assessment of the prevailing conditions.
He told the Sky News Arabia website, “Return is a hope for everyone who was forced out of his home and is experiencing the bitterness of displacement and asylum. Therefore, when the first sign of the possibility of return appeared, many people rushed to it without asking what comes after the return, whether the conditions on the ground were prepared for this return, and whether the areas that were liberated are fit for living now.” Do they provide the minimum services, such as water, electricity, and sanitation of the destroyed environment, which is contaminated with the remains of dead bodies, explosives, etc.?
In fact, war zones are still living in bad conditions, as there are no services such as electricity, water, and communications, amid a severe scarcity of food commodities, the prices of which have doubled by more than 400 percent. Health conditions are deteriorating significantly, with more than 80 percent of hospitals out of service and a severe shortage of medical personnel and life-saving medicines.
Who is responsible?
The media platforms of both sides of the fighting are active in presenting a positive image of the prevailing conditions in the areas under each party’s control, while living and security conditions are increasingly deteriorating and ground and air bombardments continue in many areas, leading to the death of dozens of residents daily.
Following the Rapid Support’s control over large parts of Al-Jazira State, the civil administration that was formed there sought to attract the fleeing residents, but reports issued by human rights and medical bodies such as the Emergency Lawyers Authority, the Sudan Doctors Syndicate, and many international organizations confirmed the existence of great difficulties that hinder the continuation of life normally. .
Likewise, platforms loyal to the army tried to encourage residents fleeing Khartoum to return, and organized intensive campaigns in this regard after the limited advance of the army in some areas of Khartoum at the end of September, but the situation seemed completely different for the thousands who made the decision to return.
Journalist Sabah Muhammad Al-Hassan points out that the invitation of the army’s media platforms and field commanders was a direct reason, among other reasons, for the return of some displaced people, whose hopes were soon dashed and they began searching for a way out again.
She explained to Sky News Arabia, “The media messages that intensified following the limited field shifts at the end of September were the reason for the return of many displaced people, but this does not mean that there are other reasons, the first of which is the economic conditions that faced a large number of those fleeing, which made their alternative lives an unbearable hell, as they Their critical situation was exploited by raising the prices of goods and housing rents in areas of displacement, which made many of them unable to provide their necessary needs, especially since most of them lost their source of income.”
