Sudan: Remaining orphans from Madani denied entrance to Kassala where they've sought refuge

SADLY, this post at X by Munchkin Jan 8 says "after over week-long struggle to evacuate remaining orphaned children & caretakers from RSF-besieged Jezira, reports that group was denied entrance to Kassala where they have sought refuge. Refusal reportedly came from the Governor, citing “security risk" #KeepEyesOnSudan". Is it true? Read reports below as a backgrounder.

- After over week-long struggle to evacuate remaining orphaned children & caretakers from RSF-besieged Jezira, reports that group was denied entrance to Kassala where they have sought refuge.

- Refusal reportedly came from the Governor, citing “security risk”.#KeepEyesOnSudan

— Munchkin (@BSonblast) January 8, 2024 

____________________________

Related Reports

Sudan Watch - April 21, 2023

#NoToWar - Heroes aid Khartoum "You are welcome" - Hadhreen "We are present and ready to help"

At least 498 children in Sudan, and likely hundreds more, have died from hunger, including two dozen babies in a state orphanage, as critical services run out of food or close, according to a recent statement by the international NGO Save the Children (SC).  ... When Nazim Sirag, who heads Hadhreen, heard about more than 300 terrified children at an orphanage in Khartoum in need of food, water and medicine. He tweeted: "We can't provide milk for new-born babies, everyone is afraid." In response to our query via WhatsApp if any help had been found through his network, he says: "We are trying to reach them. Till now we failed. Everyone in Sudan is scared to go out," adding that the orphanage was in one of the "hot areas". "Tomorrow we have [to] try early in the morning. Wish us luck."

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/04/notowar-heroes-aid-khartoum-you-are.html

___

Sudan Watch - May 29, 2023

Khartoum orphanage - 50 children including 24 babies died as fighting prevented staff reaching them

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/05/khartoum-orphanage-50-children.html

___

Sudan Watch - December 20, 2023

Sudan: ICRC please help the children evacuated from Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum to Wad Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/sudan-icrc-please-help-children.html

___

Sudan Watch - December 20, 2023

Sudan: UNICEF is working with partners to help 200 orphan babies evacuated from Khartoum to Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/sudan-unicef-is-working-with-partners.html

___

Sudan Watch - December 26, 2023

URGENT NOTE TO UNICEF'S MANDEEP O'BRIEN: Update evacuation of Mygoma orphans from Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/urgent-note-to-unicefs-mandeep-obrien.html

___

Sudan Watch - December 28, 2023

UNICEF Sudan: 253 babies and children have been safely evacuated from transit centres in Wad Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/unicef-sudan-253-babies-and-children.html

ENDS 

UNICEF Sudan: 253 babies and children have been safely evacuated from transit centres in Wad Madani

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: This is an incredible story of humans pulling together to help evacuate 253 babies and children from transit centres in Wad Madani, Sudan to a safer location. The mission must have involved many people and fraught calls to complete the evacuation. Sadly, not all 200 of the babies and children originally from Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum have been evacuated from Wad Madani. Let's hope that UN Sudan and UNICEF Sudan can provide updates on this heart rending story.

Press Release from United Nations Sudan
Dated Wednesday, 27 December 2023  - here is a copy in full:

UNICEF: Hundreds of vulnerable children evacuated for second time as Sudan war continues to put millions of children at risk

27 December 2023

PORT SUDAN/NEW YORK – 253 babies and children have been safely evacuated from transit centres in Wad Madani, Sudan to a safer location in the country, after fighting in Al Jazirah state erupted this month. For many of the children, this is the second time they have been evacuated after they were evacuated from Mygoma orphanages in Khartoum earlier in the year following the outbreak of the war in April.

“The recent escalation of the conflict in Sudan, and the fact that these children needed to move from areas that were previously considered safer, is a cruel reminder of the continuing toll the war is taking on children,” said UNICEF’s Representative in Sudan, Mandeep O’Brien. “Thankfully, a coordinated effort has ensured these children are once again out of the line of fire. The safe passage was made possible by the cooperation and facilitation of both parties to the conflict and the support of key partners. However, as long as fighting continues, no child in Sudan will be truly safe.”

The children who were evacuated from Khartoum to Wad Madani in June continue to be under the care and protection of the Ministry of Social Development. The evacuation effort, led by the Ministry, and supported by UNICEF and partners, took place over 2 days.

UNICEF and partners continue to support the Ministry’s efforts to provide the children with medical care, food and nutrition, psychosocial stimulation, play and educational activities, and supporting carers for the children, and is working with the relevant authorities and partners to identify foster families for the children.  

Across Sudan, over 14 million children are in urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian support, the highest number ever recorded in the country. The war in Sudan has resulted in the largest child displacement crisis in the World. Close to 3.5 million children have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the fighting. The impact of escalating violence - more than half of states in Sudan, 10 out of 18, are now experiencing active conflict - continues to threaten the lives and futures of families and children, leaving basic health and nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, and protection services cut off with frontline workers going without pay and many facilities closed, damaged, or destroyed.

UNICEF continues to call for an immediate ceasefire across Sudan, and reiterates its call for all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian and human rights law – including ensuring that children are protected – and that rapid, safe, unimpeded humanitarian access to children and families in affected areas is facilitated. Without such access, critical lifesaving humanitarian support will be out of reach for millions of vulnerable children. 

################

Media contacts

Joe English

UNICEF New York

Tel: +1 917 893 0692

Email: jenglish@unicef.org

Ammar Ammar

UNICEF Amman

Tel: +962 791 837 388

Email: aammar@unicef.org

Ricardo Pires

Communication Specialist

UNICEF

Tel: +1 (917) 631-1226

Email: rpires@unicef.org

UN entities involved in this initiative

UNICEF

United Nations Children’s Fund

United Nations Sudan

Welcome to the United Nations country team website of Sudan

Office of the Resident Coordinator
Gama'a Avenue, House 7, Block 5
Postal Code 11111
Khartoum, Sudan
Phone: (+249) 1 87120000

View original: https://sudan.un.org/en/256846-unicef-hundreds-vulnerable-children-evacuated-second-time-sudan-war-continues-put-millions

ENDS

___________________________

Related 

Sudan Watch - Thursday, 28 December 2023

UPDATE 3 added on 28 Dec 2023 at 15:00 GMT

December 26, 2023 - URGENT NOTE TO UNICEF'S MANDEEP O'BRIEN: 

Update evacuation of Mygoma orphans from Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/urgent-note-to-unicefs-mandeep-obrien.html

ENDS

URGENT NOTE TO UNICEF'S MANDEEP O'BRIEN: Update evacuation of Mygoma orphans from Madani

Update on efforts to evacuate Maygoma orphans from Medani to East Sudan:

One baby has already died. Volunteers are currently dealing with obstruction from authorities after a smear campaign claiming the convoy includes plain-clothed RSF militia men transporting weapons pic.twitter.com/aURw8byxrC

— Yousra Elbagir (@YousraElbagir) December 25, 2023

Related

Sudan Watch - May 29, 2023

Khartoum orphanage - 50 children including 24 babies died as fighting prevented staff reaching them

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/05/khartoum-orphanage-50-children.html

Sudan Watch - December 20, 2023

Sudan: ICRC please help the children evacuated from Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum to Wad Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/sudan-icrc-please-help-children.html

Sudan Watch - December 20, 2023

Sudan: UNICEF is working with partners to help 200 orphan babies evacuated from Khartoum to Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/sudan-unicef-is-working-with-partners.html

ENDS 

__________________________________

UPDATE 1 by Sudan Watch Editor on Tuesday, 26 Dec 2023 19:36 GMT:

Wow, what a trauma these sweet little innocent souls have endured non-stop since birth. I hope there'll be a future update of what became of them. I pray they will receive extra special care in safe and loving arms and homes:

The babies and young children originally from Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum have been successfully evacuated from Wad Madani, Al Jazira State and are on their way to a safe, undisclosed location. Great work by UNICEF'S Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa @Adele Khodr and @UNICEF Sudan Country Representative Mandeep O'Brien and all others involved. Must have been fraught and traumatic. Thanks to Yousra Elbagir for posting this update at her page at X, and for this Dec 26, 2023 post at X by @MandeepOBrien saying: 

"So worried: millions of children caught #Sudan war. Relieved to have evacuated babies & kids from Madani battlelines. Once again on the move, safe now, getting to end of their journey. Grateful for safe passage made possible by cooperation of both sides & support of key partners". 

Also copied below is a Dec 24 post at X by Adele Khodr, saying: "Over the past days, @UNICEFSudan has been coordinating with all parties to evacuate babies & children without parental care and their caregivers away from clashes in and around Wad Madani. I appeal to all parties to facilitate UNICEF's efforts in getting the children to safety. 11:28 AM · Dec 24, 2023".

Maygoma orphans have been successfully evacuated from Madani. https://t.co/Amj46HUO7P

— Yousra Elbagir (@YousraElbagir) December 26, 2023

Over the past days, @UNICEFSudan has been coordinating with all parties to evacuate babies & children without parental care and their caregivers away from clashes in and around Wad Madani.

I appeal to all parties to facilitate UNICEF's efforts in getting the children to safety.

— Adele Khodr (@AdeleKhodr) December 24, 2023

ENDS

__________________________________

UPDATE 2 by Sudan Watch Editor on Thursday, 28 Dec 2023 00:59 GMT:

This news update from Yousra is so disappointing and shocking, it’s sickening. If memory serves, there were originally 300 babies and children in Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum. 200 were dramatically evacuated to Wad Madani in Al Jazira after 50 children including 24 babies died as fighting prevented staff reaching them. These two updates tell us that 46 children have not been evacuated from Wad Madani and efforts are ongoing by emergency responders to help those children and 42 carers as well as 84 vulnerable children in al-Hasahisa, It does not account for all the babies and children from Khartoum. Why isn't UNICEF and/or ICRC on the ground in Wad Madani to ensure these poor souls are evacuated? It's heartbreaking. 

Confirmed from on the ground:

There are 38 children over the age of six, 8 teenagers and 42 carers from Al-Maygoma have not been evacuated from Madani due to a logistical error.

Efforts ongoing from ERR's to help them as well as 84 vulnerable children in al-Hasahisa. https://t.co/PrioQ2wacO

— Yousra Elbagir (@YousraElbagir) December 27, 2023

ENDS

An RSF faction entered the care home in Madani yesterday and threatened the carers with rape.

Another RSF faction went into the home today and gave them water and fuel.

They are extremely vulnerable to a dangerous & erratic militia and need to be evacuated as soon as possible.

— Yousra Elbagir (@YousraElbagir) December 27, 2023

ENDS

__________________________________

UPDATE 3 by Sudan Watch Editor on Thursday, 28 Dec 2023 14:37 GMT:

See Sudan Watch Thu 28 Dec 2023 containing press release from UN Sudan providing news from UNICEF on a successful evacuation of 253 babies and children in Wad Madani and al-Hasahisa to East Sudan. Thanks to UK Sky's Africa Correspondent Yousra Elbagir for updates on this story. Here's Yousra's latest at X. I hope she can chase up news of the remaining babies and children from Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum - and their carers, especially the one who gave the tearful video appeal for help: is he OK?

To be clear, UNICEF staff executed a mammoth effort to evacuate 253 children from the danger of Madani to East Sudan based on a list organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare.

Additional children need to be evacuated from Madani + Hasahisa but that does not negate this effort https://t.co/lcrr0XDfZp

— Yousra Elbagir (@YousraElbagir) December 28, 2023

ENDS

Sudan: UNICEF is working with partners to help 200 orphan babies evacuated from Khartoum to Madani

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: This copy of a post at X by Channel 4 News 19 Dec 2023 links to its video report containing news of 200 orphaned babies evacuated from Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum to Wad Madani, Aj Jazirah. It shows footage of the orphans and their carer tearfully pleading for help, saying of the 200 babies he looks after, half need specialist care. 

The video report shows a UNICEF logo behind Ms. Mandeep O'Brien, Sudan Country Representative, UNICEF saying: “These are safe spaces, we are deeply worried about their situation and we are currently working with partners to see what practical solutions can be done to help these children”.

250,000 flee Sudan’s second city as paramilitary seizes controlhttps://t.co/dPP8adSsxX

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) December 19, 2023

Here is an intro to the report, copied from the website of Channel 4 News:

19 Dec 2023

250,000 flee Sudan’s second city as paramilitary seizes control 

By Keme Nzerem 

A quarter of a million people have been forced to flee heavy fighting in a part of Sudan which was supposed to be a safe haven. The UN said the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces had seized control of the country’s second city Wad Madani – where hundreds of thousands of people from Khartoum have been seeking shelter. Aid organisations have suspended their work in the area, with reports of widespread looting. 

Keme Nzerem reports. 

Channel 4 News is the main news programme on British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since Channel 4's launch in November 1982. -Wikipedia

View original and video: https://www.channel4.com/news/250000-flee-sudans-second-city-as-paramilitary-seizes-control 

_____________________________

Related

Sudan Watch - May 29, 2023

Khartoum orphanage - 50 children including 24 babies died as fighting prevented staff reaching them

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/05/khartoum-orphanage-50-children.html

Sudan Watch - December 20, 2023

Sudan: ICRC please help the children evacuated from Mygoma Orphanage in Khartoum to Wad Madani

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2023/12/sudan-icrc-please-help-children.html

ENDS