Beja concerned by suspension of humanitarian aid in eastern Sudan
Mar 11, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Members of the opposition Beja Congress have expressed dismay at news that the international non-governmental organization (INGO) the International Rescue Committee (IRC) are planning to suspend operations in the rebel-controlled area of eastern Sudan.
An IRC press release has stated that the organization ‘has decided to suspend humanitarian aid programs in opposition-controlled region of north-eastern Sudan’.
According to the press statement his move follows ‘a request by the UN Mission in Sudan to cease cross-border activities from Eritrea in light of negotiations underway with Sudanese authorities to gain access to the region from Sudan’.
The area where the IRC has been in operation for several years is one of the poorest areas of the world. The population of the area is mostly from the Beja tribe, members of which have been in opposition to Khartoum governments for over forty years, claiming severe marginalisation.
Rumours have been circulating that the IRC suspension was a result of demands from the Government of Sudan that the INGO leave the area. According to recent Reuters reports, the rebels were given formal notice from the IRC that it was to suspend activities in their area.
The same Reuters report states that journalists were shown a letter by the Eastern Front (a coalition of the Beja Congress and the Free Lions rebel groups) from the IRC saying that Khartoum had ordered the organization to suspend its humanitarian activities there.
Sulieman Derar, a lobbiest for Beja rights told reporter that “This shows the criminal intentions of the regime to fight the Beja with hunger and diseases. It (this latest move) will deprive Beja of important services”.
Last week the Beja Congress delivered a memorandum to UN Human Rights Rapporteur Sima Samar calling for an investigation into the January 2005 killings in Port Sudan (see page 19 for more) listing the names of the victims.
The memo also highlighted fears over Greek toxic wastes being dumped in the east and the transformation of the Aroma hospital into a military camp which has reduced medical services.
The IRC is one of only two INGOs in the area, the other, Samaritans Purse, is still in operation. They are the only international charity groups providing food aid, basic health care, vaccination, safe drinking water and education services as well as training midwives in an effort to curb high rates of deaths during childbirth in the region.
Nicola Smith, who oversees the IRC’s aid programs in Sudan has said that “we are now focusing our efforts on accessing this area from Sudan rather than Eritrea and we hope to restart humanitarian services there as soon as possible”. She added that in the meantime the IRC is taking steps in the area to ensure that the departure of IRC aid workers would have minimum impact on the communities they serve.
“The IRC remains committed to assisting the population in this neglected area” she said.
(ST)