In 2024, the global number of internally displaced people reached a record high of 83.4 million due to conflict, violence, and natural disasters. Men, women, children, families, and entire generations have been forced to flee their homes within their own countries. Internal displacement may not make headlines, but the suffering can last for years, as noted by Jan Egeland, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Three individuals share their experiences of being forced from their homes. Baby Begum from Bangladesh, a country vulnerable to climate change, was displaced due to natural disasters. The number of internally displaced people in Bangladesh rose to 2.4 million in 2024, according to the IDMC report. Baby Begum, a 40-year-old mother of two disabled sons, was first displaced by catastrophic floods in 2022.
She recalls the harrowing experience of losing everything during the floods and the challenges her family faced in finding shelter and employment afterwards. Despite their struggles, Baby Begum remains hopeful for a better future, even as they continue to face hardships.
Similarly, Mubarak Ibrahim from Sudan shares his story of being displaced due to the fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in 2024. With 11.6 million internally displaced people in Sudan, Mubarak Ibrahim, a father of five, reflects on the impact of the conflict on his family and their uncertain future. He and his family had to escape from their village, Zaghawa, an African ethnic group that has been repeatedly targeted by the RSF.
Due to constant bombings and attacks with heavy weapons, they had no choice but to leave. Recently, the RSF attacked their village, Saloma, in North Darfur, burning down houses and targeting civilians, including children, women, and elderly individuals.
With five children, aged between three and 13, including a daughter who was injured during their escape, they had to travel about 30km to the town of Tawila.
They left behind their belongings in Saloma, a village that became part of the Zamzam camp, where they had been living for decades as displaced people due to the war in Darfur.
In Tawila, they faced safety concerns, lack of food, water, and medical supplies, with no access to outside aid organizations. The situation is critical, especially for the elderly and sick family members.
Despite the challenges, they continue to see an influx of displaced people from other regions, adding to the growing numbers of those affected by violence and conflict.
As told to Mark Townsend
Rosmira Campos, Colombia
Colombia is facing a severe internal displacement crisis, with nearly 7 million people driven from their homes due to long-standing conflict and violence. Rosmira, a widowed mother of four, had to flee her village in the Chocó region due to clashes between the military and paramilitary groups.
As a leader of the Emberá-Katío Indigenous people, Rosmira had to seek refuge in Bogotá due to ongoing violence and insecurity in her home region. The presence of armed groups and clashes with the military made it unsafe for them to return.
Living in makeshift tents in Bogotá, Rosmira and her community face threats, recruitment attempts, and land encroachment by armed groups. Despite the challenges, she strives to provide for her children through crafting and selling artisanal goods on the streets.
Struggling to survive and haunted by past trauma, Rosmira’s story reflects the harsh reality of displacement and the ongoing struggle for safety and stability in Colombia.
Tidak ada pekerjaan lain untuk kita.
Daerah saya sangat hijau dan berbukit, dengan air terjun dan sungai yang jernih mengalir melaluinya. Tidak ada jalan. Saya masih memiliki sepupu, bibi dan paman tinggal di sana. Orangtua saya sudah meninggal.
Di rumah, kita dulu mengandalkan pisang, singkong, dan jagung yang kami tanam di tanah. Ada banyak hewan, seperti burung dan monyet, tetapi mereka telah absen sejak konflik dimulai.
Tentara telah melakukan penyemburan area dengan bahan kimia sejak tahun 2015 untuk mencegah pria bersenjata menanam tanaman koka, dan sepertinya itu telah menghancurkan seluruh lingkungan alam. Sekarang, kami tidak bisa bercocok tanam; tanah memberikan hasil yang sangat sedikit.
Orang-orang lokal tidak menginginkan kami di sini, dan mereka kadang-kadang bisa agresif. Itu membuat saya sedih.
Sejak 2019, saya telah tinggal di Bogotá di lima tempat berbeda. Saya telah mengikuti kelas bahasa Spanyol dengan seorang guru di perguruan tinggi, jadi sekarang saya bisa sedikit memahami.
Kami sebagian besar tinggal di perkemahan yang kami dirikan di taman, tetapi kondisinya buruk, jadi kami harus pindah. Sekitar 400 dari kami kembali tinggal di taman ini lagi pada hari Senin untuk memprotes dan mendesak pemerintah untuk mengambil tindakan. Mereka tidak pernah memenuhi janjinya.
Beberapa dari kami ingin pemerintah membantu kami untuk kembali pulang, sementara yang lain mencari dukungan untuk pindah ke tempat lain.
Orang-orang lokal tidak menginginkan kami di sini, dan mereka kadang-kadang bisa agresif. Itu membuat saya sedih; mereka seharusnya menunjukkan sedikit rasa hormat kepada kami. Kami juga tidak ingin berada di sini – tapi kami tidak punya pilihan.
Seperti yang diceritakan kepada Luke Taylor
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