“Chadian Minister” warns of conflicts between Chadian citizens and Sudanese refugees

Sudan Events – Talal Mudathir

Madeleine Alingoui, Chadian Minister of State for Economic Affairs, warned Monday that societal hostility in Chad is escalating between local citizens and Sudanese refugees, with thousands continuing to arrive from Sudan, putting pressure on the limited resources on which Chadians depend.

“People in Chad have been displaced from their local communities because the pressure posed by many of the refugees who have arrived has pushed them further into the country and displaced them from their natural homes,” Madeleine added.

“We really believe that if we don’t take care of the host communities, that hostility and tension can arise, and we can have instability in that region,” she said.

Eastern Chad is facing a new, unprecedented influx of refugees and returnees from Sudan, as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that nearly 490,000 Sudanese have taken refuge in Chad since the fighting broke out on April 15 in Sudan.