RIYADH, 16 September 2004 — The local chapter of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has called on the Saudi and Gulf governments to contribute funds to UNHCR to carry out relief works for over 180,000 Darfur refugees currently taking shelter in 10 camps in Western Sudan and near Chad borders.

The Kingdom, which announced $10 million in aid for Darfur, has intensified its efforts to help solve the crisis.

Mamoon Muhsen, UNHCR’s external affairs officer, said here that “our funds fall short of the expectations of refugees, whose number is increasing daily. We appeal to the Gulf governments to contribute funds to UNHCR to meet the basic needs of Darfur refugees.”

Many NGOs in Saudi Arabia, who are also working as partners in a new UNHCR-led project called Gulf NGOs Network (GNN) have joined hands to help alleviate the sufferings of refugees.

Muhsen said, “We are also seeking the support of Gulf NGOs including Saudi NGOs, which are now part of the umbrella organization GNN.” He pointed out that the GNN, which have 17 major Gulf NGOs as members, “is currently working on an ambitious project for regional stockpiling of humanitarian relief materials to cater for the needs of people including refugees during emergency situations.”

AGFUND, which has its headquarters in Riyadh, has decided to contribute $100,000 to Darfur. The Jeddah-based International Islamic Relief Organization has already extended more than SR2 million in aid for the displaced people. Besides, the Saudi Red Crescent Society is also playing a major role in relief efforts.

Asked about the fate of the remaining Iraqi refugees in the Rafha camp of Saudi Arabia, Muhsen declined to comment. There are only 460 Iraqi refugees currently living in the camp following the recent mass repatriation carried out by UNHCR. These refugees were from amongst the 93,000 Iraqis sheltered there following the 1991 Gulf War. A majority of them returned after the war.

The Kingdom, since 1991, has been contributing SR1.5 million annually to meet the expenses of Rafha camp and to rehabilitate the refugees in different countries. UNHCR together with the Saudi government started a major resettlement program for Iraqi refugees way back in 1991. This led to the gradual decline in the number of Rafha refugees who are now settled in 33 countries, including the United States, Iran, Sweden, Australia, Denmark, Canada and the Netherlands.