Canada: London's Sudanese community gathers for fundraiser to support relief efforts

More than 250 Sudanese Londoners gathered at the London Muslim Mosque on Sunday to attend a fundraiser to provide supports to residents fleeing the violence in Sudan. (Isha Bhargava/CBC)

Members of London's Sudanese community turned out for a fundraising event Sunday night to support relatives in the east African country who are trying to escape the escalating violence between two warring military groups.

More than 250 community members were at the London Muslim Mosque with the goal of raising funds for emergency assistance to those impacted by the crisis and bloodshed.   

Islamic Relief Canada, a registered charity that provides humanitarian assistance to more than 40 countries, organized the event. Also in attendance was federal Minister Harjit Sajjan, who announced that the Canadian government will match individual donations up to a total of $5 million until June 30.

"The situation right now is very bad from every way, there are no hospitals or airports, and thousands of people are waiting for a visa to get out of the country," said Issam Nassir, a member of the Sudanese Canadian Community Association of London.

The United Nations^[1] estimates that more than one million people have been displaced after fleeing Sudan since the war between its army and the paramilitary started in mid April. Humanitarian agencies are also struggling to provide aid amid the chaos.

Most of Nassir's relatives have fled the capital city of Khartoum, where the violence is most prevalent, to seek asylum in neighbouring Egypt. But their biggest challenge awaits them when they get to the border, Nassir said. 

"The trip from Khartoum to the Egypt border is very terrible, people have to stop at every point. It's not an easy journey because there is no safety and no food at all, water and electricity is also basically gone," he said.

The drive to the Egyptian border is about 13 hours with a looming risk of military kidnapping people as they try to escape, according to fellow member Mohamed Osman, who said most people had to leave all their belongings behind.

"There are no camps there for them to get shelter, they're just living in the desert, with nothing there. No food, water, no bathroom, their only shelter is the sky," Osman said. 

"By the time you reach [the border] you will be completely exhausted, and then you have to wait for weeks or months to get a visa, if you have your passport, but most people left without anything," he added. 

'You feel stuck'

From left to right: Friends Nafisa Mohamed, Lina Nassir, and Esra Mahmoud say they feel so helpless not being able to offer much support to their relatives trapped in Sudan from London. (Isha Bhargava/CBC)

Tensions are high among Sudanese Canadians who say they feel helpless not being able to offer much support being so far away from their relatives.

Osman's elderly aunt fell sick and died during the journey to the Egyptian border because she didn't have access to her medications, he said.

"This is a trauma for all of the people, and even for us because we're not there and we can't see what's happening to them," he said. 

"You feel stuck honestly, there's not much we can do to help from here," said Lina Nassir, 21. "You're just praying and anxiously waiting for them to get to safety but I feel so scared all the time."

"The conflict broke out very suddenly, no one was prepared," said her friend Esra Mahmoud. "It definitely makes you aware of your privilege and reminds you that safety is something we take for granted."

Challenges in providing relief

With airports closed and ongoing turmoil on the streets, relief agencies are also having a tough time getting aid to those in need, said Usama Khan of Islamic Relief Canada. 

"Right now is the start of the rainy season which may come with potential disease outbreaks, people don't have food or access to cash and everything has skyrocketed with inflation, so all of these are really ongoing needs," he said. 

"It's a very complicated situation, even getting funds into Sudan isn't easy, and we're asking for a ceasefire to ensure that humanitarian activities can resume in full swing."

Khan said his team is working with other agencies to ensure that all hands are on deck when it comes to serving different regions. 

References

1. ^{^} United Nations (www.reuters.com)