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YIDA CAMP - 16 Oct 2013

Food distribution in Yida stalled by protest

A food distribution in Yida refugee camp was disrupted on Tuesday when laborers protested that they were not being paid enough for the task.

Workers told Radio Tamazuj that they were demanding higher wages, clothing and shoes for work.

NGO Samaritan’s Purse organizes the distribution of the food, which is provided by the UN World Food Programme.

Laborers are expected to carry bags of grain, cartons of cooking oil and other items throughout the sprawling camp of 70,000 people.

Mudir Ahmed Al Faki Ali, one of the laborers, said “We were working carrying sacks for one pound each and cartons of oil at 3 per pound.”

“Now our complaints are that this is too little to add to us. Sometimes people will say, ‘You do that work without money.’”

He also pointed out that refugees in the nearby Ajwong Thok are carrying one sack for three pounds, compared to only two pounds at Yida.

“So yesterday we said ‘no.’ We don’t want to work,” said Mudir.

The work was consequently stopped from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Photo by Radio Tamazuj