SPLA-held area appeals for help with Darfur displaced

NAIROBI, Aug 19, 2004 (Sudan Radio Service) — The commissioner of Aweil North County in SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army]-administered areas has appealed to the international community for emergency relief aid to help internally displaced persons who fled from Darfur.

Commissioner Deng Tiop Akok told Sudan Radio Service by satellite phone that, since January, his county, which borders Darfur, has received what he estimates to be over 50,000 displaced persons from Darfur.

He said the internally displaced persons are in dire need of food, shelter and medicines.

Akok appealed to the international community to help us with food because the people are suffering. So we need medicine. When the dry season comes we need more water.

The Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission secretary for Aweil North County, Mel Wal Acien, told Sudan Radio Service that in the last six months 13 people have died from various diseases due to lack of health facilities.

He said the internally displaced persons are sharing the meagre resources with the local community.

BBC Monitoring Service Material