Displaced people cry for help as camps close

Some of the people displaced by Tropical Cyclone Freddy have cried foul over authorities’ decision to close evacuation camps in schools to give space to learners without giving them starter-packs.

They expressed the sentiments in random interviews last week ahead of the opening of the third term for this year’s academic year today.

The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) set April 16 as the deadline for decommissioning schools used as camps to pave the way for teaching and learning.

Responding to a questionnaire, Dodma deputy public relations off i cer Chimwemwe Njoloma said as of Thursday, the department had decommissioned more than 400 camps out of 747 established immediately after the cyclone.

She said: “The department is working with councils to make sure that all schools are free from occupation by people affected by the cyclone by Monday.

“Some people are being relocated to new camps while others are identifying new places on their own.”

Njoloma insisted that the people are being provided with relief food and financial support for new accommodation until they resettle.

But group village head Gumera from Traditional Authority Juma in Mulanje said his subjects did not get any start-up packages when they were moved from camps.

The chief’s views were corroborated by some displaced people in Mulanje and Blantyre who said they did not receive any starter-packs while some are still in camps waiting for assistance before they leave.

Esther Phiri, who sought refuge at the now-decommissioned Gumera Primary School camp in Mulanje, said: “I am struggling to cater for my four children. We were told to leave the camp to pave way for learners.

“Right now I live in a makeshift shelter made of grass with my family. We do not have food, kitchen utensils, clothes as well as blankets.”

Blantyre District Council, in its report released last week, said it does not have most of the items needed such as bags of maize, bags of maize flour, plastic sheets and tarpaulins for those relocating.

Out of 92 camps, Blantyre now has less than 20. About 13 510 households, representing 60 795 people, were displaced in Blantyre.

Manja and Kapeni primary school camps were decommissioned last week and the survivors, who still have nowhere to go, have been relocated to Soche Hill Secondary School ground where tents have been mounted for about 200 families.

Manja camp supervisor Malinga Namuku said most of the people had already left the camp of their own volition to restart their lives and at the time of closing on Wednesday, the camp, which had more than 5 000 people on March 12 this year, had less than 500 people.

Phalombe district commissioner (DC) Douglas Moffat said they now have 33 camps out of the 124, adding that the people are being told to go back to their homes with a partial return home package, while some go to live with their relatives.

In a separate interview, Chiradzulu DC Francis Matewere said they are now remaining with five camps out of the 40 they had.

He said about 200 households were decommissioned from camps by Friday to give space to learners as they start the third term today.

Both Chikwawa and Nsanje district councils were yet to start decommissioning camps by Thursday as officials were still engaging communities on relocation.

Nsanje District Council spokesperson Robert Nayeja said the district has 81 camps with 145 870 people and only one camp is located at a school.

He said: “As a disaster-prone district, we have well-established evacuation centres. So, some people are in evacuation centres, others are in other camps where we have mounted tents.

“None of the camps is aschool, except Nyachilenda Primary School where survivors only use classrooms at night as a sleeping place. Classes are in progress in Nsanje.”

Chikwawa District Council spokesperson Leah Malimbasa cited funding challenges and the lack of a comprehensive exit package for those people willing to relocate and resettle in the community.

“There are delays in getting these packages as well as inadequate tents to support decongesting efforts,” she said.

Dodma said it requires about K1.1 billion for the resettlement exercise for displaced people.

Over 2.5 million people were affected by the cyclone with 676 confirmed deaths, and 537 people missing.