Filipinos in Sudan fear running out of food amid clashes

Filipinos in Sudan appealed for help from Philippine authorities as they were running out of food amid the ongoing clashes between the Sudanese military and paramilitaries, Katrina Son reported Friday on “24 Oras.”

Overseas Filipino worker Rose Ann Santos Andaya said she feared for their safety due to the ongoing violence in Sudan.

"Sobrang hirap po na wala kaming ibang ginagawa kundi magdasal. Bago matulog putukan yung maririnig paggising putukan yung maririnig natatakot po ma’am,” Andaya said.

(It's so hard that we don't do anything but pray. Before going to sleep, we hear people shooting. And you will hear it when you wake up, I'm scared ma’am.)

Andaya, who has been a domestic helper in Sudan since 2017, appealed to Philippine authorities to help her get repatriated.

“May pamilya na nagaalala po sa amin kahit po kami gustong gusto po namin umuwi pero hindi po namin alam kung paano yung gagawin. May pamilya po akong umaasa sa akin na uuwi po akong buhay sa Pilipinas sobrang hirap po dito yung dinadanas namin first time ko po naka encounter ng ganito sobrang hirap po ma’am,” she said.

(Our families are worried about, and we want to go home too. But we don't know how to do it. I have a family that is counting on me to return home alive to the Philippines. What we are going through here is very difficult. It is my first time to encounter something like this, it is very difficult, ma’am.)

“Wala na pong nagbubukas dito na mga store mga supermarket and meron man pong magbukas ma’am hindi ka po talaga makakaraan sa kalsada kase nagkalat na po sa labas ang mga may hawak po ng baril. Medyo namomoblema po kami kung saan kami kukuha ng pandagdag pagkain dahil yung supply po namin nung ramadan naubos na talaga,” she added.

(There are no stores or supermarkets that are open here. And even if one does open, ma'am, you can't really move around as there are people with guns outside. We are having a bit of a problem getting more food because our supply ran out during Ramadan.)

The Foreign Affairs Department said their priority was to provide food and supplies to the Filipinos in Sudan.

“Meron tayong honorary consul doon na representative ng Philippines na Sudanese businessman ano. Makakakuha siya ng food supplies. Ang kailangan lang niya kung saan yung mga details kung saan yung mga Pilipino para mapapadalhan sila,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said.

(We have an honorary consul there, a Philippine representative who is a Sudanese businessman. He can get food. All he needs are details on where the Filipinos are so he can send the food.)

The DFA said not all Filipinos in Sudan were running out of food because several big companies provided them with meals.

Nevertheless, the department encouraged Filipinos in Sudan to coordinate with the DFA.

At least 86 Filipinos in Sudan wanted to move, while 49 Filipinos wanted to return to the Philippines.

The DFA said they would start overland repatriations in the next several days.

“Through Egypt, ang plano north of Sudan so at least nine to 10 hours yung ano yan travel so mahirap po yan dadaan ng disyerto,” De Vega said.

(Through Egypt, the plan is through north of Sudan, so travel time is at least nine to 10 hours. It will be difficult because it will go through the desert.)

Meanwhile, a Filipino was injured amid the ongoing clashes in Sudan.

The violence in Sudan erupted on Saturday between forces of the two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who commands the RSF.

The World Health Organization said more than 400 people have been killed and over 3,500 others hurt in the fighting in Sudan. — Richa Allyssa Noriega/DVM, GMA Integrated News