Khartoum, Sudan - Nomads who make up about 60 percent of Darfur's population have complained that all assistance coming to Darfur has bypassed them, saying all they see is the dust of aid agencies' vehicles as they drive by. The crisis in Sudan's western Darfur region initially started as nomads and farmers clashed over diminishing resources, especially water, in 2003.

Nomads who are used to moving from one area to another have not been greatly affected by the conflict, as they simply move to avoid the areas of tension. Farmers become displaced the moment they leave their farms.

Aid agencies have for too long neglected Darfur’s nomads, according to North Darfur Nomads Peace and Development Network.

The group spoke at a workshop which opened Sunday at Al Fashir University, sponsored by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue of Geneva, with support from the Government of Canada.

The UN/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) quoted Denis McNamara, humanitarian adviser for the project, as saying at the workshop that the 'nomads complain they see only the dust of the aid agencies' cars as they drive by to help others'.

Darfur’s nomads number up to one million and make up some 60 percent of the state population, said Hassan Abedlaziz, leader of the new network.

He said that for years the term nomad never appeared in humanitarian agencies programmes, even though that has since changed.

Abedlaziz said, however, that they still needed water, health care, education and vocational training.

He also said nomads were important to the social situation and the peace process in Darfur, as they “deal with all communities” as part of their lifestyles.

“They carry messages of peace and stability with their movements,” Abedlaziz said. 'They care for the animal resources which sustain 50 percent of the society,'

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue held a similar workshop in Nyala, south Darfur state, in May 2011, during which UNAMID committed US$100,000 to Quick Impact Projects dedicated to Nomadic communities.

A third workshop will be held in al-Genaina, west Darfur state bordering Chad, later this year.

UNAMID’s nomad projects include a capacity-building programme to train members of the Nomadic Forum for Peace and Social Co-existence to increase their administrative management and proposal writing skills.

Pana 26/09/2011