Gaga refugee camp, Chad – At least 250,000 refugees have crossed into countries neighboring Sudan since April 15, after a rivalry between Army General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, turned into an armed conflict.
A further 843,000 people are internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency, bringing the total number of people who have fled their homes in the past six weeks to over a million.
While most of the worst fighting has taken place in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, fierce battles have also taken place in the country. West Darfur region, mainly between Arab and Masalit communities. Waves of intercommunal violence have so far forced at least 60,000 refugees to flee to neighboring Chad.
Aid agencies say the numbers are much higher as people continue to pour into the country every day, and thousands have so far gone unregistered.
Most of the refugees are in informal settlements along the border and remain vulnerable to fighting if they are not moved deeper into the country before the onset of the rainy season in about four weeks.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Monday began relocating around 1,000 people amid huge logistical challenges and a lack of funds.
Resources in Chad were already stretched to help around 600,000 refugees already in the country before the Sudan crisis.
Al Jazeera spoke with Samantha Power, Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), who announced additional funding of $100 million for Sudan and conflict-affected countries in Sudan.
“Given that humanitarian conditions are only getting worse, not better inside Sudan, we at USAID are increasing our support to our partners on the ground,” Power said, as she was visiting one of the camps in eastern Chad hosting refugees from Sudan.
Al Jazeera: What is the United States doing to help displaced Sudanese?
Samantha’s Power: The first thing the United States is focused on is bringing both sides to the negotiating table so that the fighting that drives people into these conditions stops. This is something Secretary of State Antony Blinken is working on with the Saudis, the African Union and others.
In the meantime, as humanitarian conditions only worsen inside Sudan, we at USAID are increasing our support to our partners on the ground.
Even before this crisis and this horrific violence, you had 60 million people in Sudan who needed humanitarian assistance. This number has now increased by more than 50%. This means finding a way to channel more resources into Sudan to meet food and protection needs.
So many women are now experiencing gender-based violence at the hands of militias and soldiers. So more health items are needed, given that hospitals have been destroyed or taken over by soldiers.
Here in Chad, [we’re involved in] the process of moving people from the makeshift settlements deeper into the country where they will not be pursued by the same Sudanese armed actors who pushed them to flee in the first place.
We, the United States, will support the UNHCR in the construction of these camps for what is now 60,000 people and will support the [refugee agency] as they drive these people away from the border, deeper into Chad. But we all recognize that 60,000 is just the beginning and we are already hearing reports of thousands – possibly tens of thousands – who are inside Sudan trying to cross the border.
The Chadian forces and authorities welcome them, but you have Sudanese armed elements who seek to take advantage of people when they need it most, either by forcing them to pay [to cross] Or block them outright. So obviously that would also be part of our diplomacy. The forces that started this war against civilians must take responsibility for clearing the border, so that people who want to cross can cross.
A J: How do you respond to criticism that the United States has been too accommodating to the two generals, thereby paving the way for this conflict?
Power: I visited Sudan two years ago and engaged, as so many senior American officials have, with General Burhan to push for a rapid transition to civilian rule. USAID has thrown its weight behind the civilian-led government with the development [and] significant financial support.
It was the most we had invested in Sudan for a very long time, knowing that people needed to see tangible economic progress under a civilian ruled regime. When Burhan staged the coup, we cut off that aid and put constant pressure on him to return to the negotiating table. Obviously, this progress has been halted because there are certain individuals and elements inside Sudan who, decade after decade, put their own well-being above the well-being of the Sudanese people.
I think the focus, blame and responsibility rests with the armed elements who, again, put their own interests first.
A J: Can you tell us how the Sudanese feel betrayed by the United States and the West?
Power: We are stepping up our support and today announcing $100 million in additional programs here and in Sudan to try to support the people of Sudan. This is why we are relentless in our diplomacy and continue to be so.
The only future that will work for Sudan is a civilian ruled regime, and we will not give up until the people of Sudan achieve this.