Agony of leaving

Hager Elhakeem, Tuesday 23 May 2023

Hager Elhakeem speaks with Sudanese fleeing the war in their homeland

Agony of leaving
Egypt receives 5000 Sudanese refugees every day

 

Over one million people have been displaced in Sudan and to neigbouring countries, UNHCR Spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh said during a press briefing on 19 May.

“The number of those fleeing to Egypt — the largest host — is rapidly increasing, with UNHCR partners estimating more than 5,000 arrivals a day. Almost 110,000 Sudanese have now entered the country, according to the government.”

The agony of abandoning their homes and loved ones is etched on the faces of those Sudanese who have escaped the hell of war and bloodshed in their country. Karkar is often the first stop when they cross into Egypt, followed by Aswan. There, they wander the streets searching for rooms in which they can rest for the night and clean up before deciding what to do next, the UNHCR spokesperson said.

“The sound of gunfire went on without end, and it was drawing nearer,” said a Sudanese woman holding her daughter’s hand as she explained to Al-Ahram Weekly that they were trying to reach Cairo where her son is studying medicine. “It has become difficult for everyone in Sudan. Rapid Support Forces [RSF] were shooting bullets close to our house. We were terrified,” she said after reaching the Karkar stop.

Um Farha, 50, had spent five days travelling from Khartoum and plans to meet her son who lives in the Egyptian capital. She spoke to the Weekly after arriving through Wadi Halfa and making it past Qastal crossing.

“It was difficult leaving my family and relatives back in Sudan. There is no way to tell what the coming days will bring,” she said.

Al-Mondher Qaisar, 27, says he will stay in Aswan before making his “way into a European country seeking a job”.

Qaisar fled Umdurman where his house is 2 km away from an RSF camp which the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) destroyed from the air. Frightened by the explosion, and saying his house had already been fired at, Qaisar decided to leave his homeland. The journey from Umdurman to Halfa, then switching buses to cross Qastal into Aswan, took nine days and cost more than $400.

“The bus was repeatedly stopped by the RSF who were looking for army soldiers among the passengers,” he told the Weekly. “In Sudan the prices of commodities have surged. Even a small bottle of water has gone up from 200 to 1,000 Sudanese pounds.”

While Egypt’s “government and people have warmly received Sudanese”, Qaisar says he “will probably try to find a job in France”. The 27-year-old works in car sales.

It took Sudanese journalist Kamal Fathi, 40, 10 days and $2,300 to cross into Egypt with his wife and son. He has rented a small apartment for LE2,000 a month, an exorbitant amount, he says, given the size and location of the apartment.

“The RSF stole the money and gold in my house. The price of the bus trip to Wadi Halfa has skyrocketed. Even the price of water has spiked,” he said.

Kamal Ali, 24, a media professional, sold his wife’s gold to save his family, saying he “received a much lower price than it was worth because people are taking advantage of the situation in Sudan.”

Ali, who lived in Atbara, a city in northeastern Sudan, said he had not received his pay for the previous month and that banks in Sudan are closed, meaning “if you don’t have money or gold, you can’t leave.”

He expressed his gratitude for the Egyptian employees at the crossing. “They were patient, smiling and calm, despite the influx of people. I am thankful Egypt has opened its borders to Sudanese in these difficult conditions.”

Engineer Bahaaeddin Ali, 39, arrived in Aswan from Khartoum after the conflict intensified in the Sudanese capital.

“My family wanted to travel to Egypt but many were discouraged by stories of the crowds massing at the Argeen crossing. Instead, they left the capital and settled north of Khartoum.”

Abdallah Mohamed, 60, travelled with his wife and daughter to Egypt after stories of rape began to circulate in their home city of Umdurman. He added that “the municipalities of Karari, north of Umdurman, and Umbedda are calm.”

“I will go back to Sudan when the situation is stable. I cannot leave my country. However, I will look for a job if I have to stay in Egypt for a long period,” Mohamed told the Weekly.

 “We don’t have figures for the number of Sudanese who have fled to Aswan via Argeen and Qastal crossings. Before the war broke out, they numbered 15,000,” says Adel Nour, head of the Sudanese community in Aswan.

“For many Sudanese, Aswan is a two-night stop after which they travel to Cairo, other governorates or other countries, because Khartoum airport is closed.”

* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 May, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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