Displaced People in Kassala Facing High Rent and Seasonal Disasters
By: Rami Mohker
The displaced people from areas of conflict and those under the control of the Rapid Support Forces are struggling to find rental homes in Kassala. The city has seen a sharp rise in rental prices, with some properties reaching nearly two million Sudanese pounds, as schools have filled up with those fleeing the horrors of war.
The state recently experienced heavy rains and floods, affecting thousands, including the displaced. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan, the floods directly impacted 10,178 recently arrived displaced persons from Sennar State.
Fatima, a displaced person from the city of Sennar, recounts that before arriving in Kassala, she searched for a rental home through an acquaintance. She was shocked by the prices, which she described as outrageous. Fatima, along with her father and younger siblings, found a two-room and a living room unfurnished house listed on Facebook for 1.3 million Sudanese pounds.
Fatimas situation mirrors that of many other displaced people in Kassala, who cannot afford to rent due to the scarcity of homes after losing all their possessions while fleeing areas under the control of the Rapid Support Forces. M.S., a real estate broker, explains that property owners set the rental prices, and despite the high costs, there is still a shortage of available homes as the city fills with arrivals from Khartoum, Gezira, Sennar, and Dinder.
Um Mohammed, questioning the situation, says, "I cant understand how the rent for a simple two-room and living room house can exceed 1.8 million pounds. Have some conscience and be reasonable; these are displaced people who have lost everything."
Many displaced people are waiting for the state governments decision, which emphasized preparing a shelter center for the displaced west of Kassala Airport. Al-Shafie Nouri, a displaced person from Sennar, says, "Since arriving in Kassala, I have searched every neighborhood for a rental home but was shocked by the high prices and my inability to afford them after losing my income source due to displacement. I, like others, await the completion of the shelter center or consider leaving the state for another place where I can find a home for my children."
The executive director of Kassala state, Idris Mohammed Ali, issued a decree prohibiting all residents of Kassala from renting out residential and commercial buildings without local authority approval, requiring full compliance with the decision.
Forecasts of increased rainfall at the beginning of August worry the displaced people, some of whom are living on the streets without shelter. They fear disease outbreaks due to rainwater, clogged drains, and the spread of mosquitoes and insects.
