05/26/2004

"Please don't go over there... There is a woman giving birth... Under that tree."

The baby boy seen in this picture was born some minutes after the Refugees International team arrived in Korfou, 13 kms from Bahayi, Chad. The baby could not be fed as his mother, Aziza, was severely malnourished. In early May Bahayi had 27,000 registered refugees who had not yet been relocated. They slept in the river bed, known as a Wadi. They were exposed to many diseases. Below is the transcript of the conversation the RI team had with her mother.

We came here, in this place call Korfou in January. We are from Farawiya in Darfur, Sudan. This is a first time in our lives to experience such horrors as what happened to us. We didn't expect to see ourselves chased out of our land, our villages burnt, our cattle raided, our young daughters raped, our husbands and young men killed. I've lost everything I had with me. Please, I beg you don't go over there (gesturing towards a stand of trees), there is a woman my daughter there giving birth under that tree...

It was in December that we first heard about war and the Arab militia attacking, raping and killing people. The men gathered and decided that we all should leave the village before the arrival of the Arab militia and the government forces. Each of us who had donkeys and camels loaded them at night and then around three o'clock we left the village. No one was allowed to talk. The youngest children, mainly the babies, were sleeping. Men stayed behind to watch over us.

It was a sad day for all of us. We had to be careful with the people who could not walk many hours- such as the elderly and pregnant women. Some men and young men of the villages around decided to stay behind to watch what will happen. They saw how the Janjaweed and government forces were dumping dead animals in the wells. We don't know what happened to them.

We haven't heard about them... we fear for their lives. Among them was my husband and two of my sons... only my daughter came with me. Her husband stayed behind with other men to protect what they could. Aziza, my daughter, has been sick since she was pregnant. This is her first pregnancy. Here in Korfou we have spent four months without any assistance.

You cannot understand my pain as a mother seeing my pregnant daughter suffering. I've been praying Allah to protect her as well as the baby. Thanks that today both are alive but I don't know for how long. I'm scared that the baby will get respiratory sickness as he doesnt have a blanket or any clothes. If you would go there you will find that the baby boy is naked.

One thing I regret is that we cannot celebrate the birth of my first grandson. We have nothing left to celebrate with. If it was in our village, all the women would come and dance. The men would give him a gift. A donkey that we kept for him died a week ago. I feel bad for both my daughter and my grandson. I feel ashamed as a woman when I see my daughter giving birth under a tree like an animal. Her husband built a house for them a nice house. But look- today because of the Janjaweed and the government forces my daughter has to give birth under a tree and has nothing to cover her new-born baby with.

My fear is that he will start suffering from respiratory sickness and we don't have money. Even if we did, there are no health clinics around. We don't even know what we can give Aziza to eat to regain her strength- there is no food here. She cannot nurse her baby son as she is severely malnourished and tired. I feel sorry for this little baby... I can not feed him either... I'm old to do so

As a recommendation I will urge you to tell the world what is happening to us. As women we are suffering emotionally and physically. We want food, shelter, soap, clothing, dignity and we want to go back. Tell the world we want to go back and farm our land.