Government, humanitarian agencies assessing conditions in Darfur

By Sudanese radio

KHARTOUM, Dec 24, 2003 — The Ministry of External Relations issued a statement today on the situation in Darfur [western Sudan].

The statement said the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, in coordination with the UN and the donors, has been assessing the basic and urgent needs of the affected in Darfur, whose number stands at 600,000, among them 320,000 displaced people and 28,000 refugees in the state of Chad.

The statement said there had been a quick and good level of response to the appeal from state organs, the UN and donors.

The statement said the flow of humanitarian aid was going on well as a number of government and international organizations were already in Darfur.

The statement denied reports that a number of relief organizations had withdrawn from Al-Junaynah.

The Ministry for External Relations said what happened was that the UN had re-allocated some of its Sudanese employees to work in other areas and there were other organizations working in Darfur continuously.

The statement said the government was committed to the Abeche peace agreement signed recently between the government and Sudan Liberation Movement and considered it a framework for reaching a settlement and tackling the situation.

The statement said the government held the outlaws totally responsible for the failure of the peace talks in Ndjamena, despite the efforts of the Chadian president.

The statement reiterated the government’s readiness to find a peaceful solution to the current situation in Darfur, despite the fact that the conduct of the outlaws posed a security threat to the citizens of Darfur and also posed a threat to the activities of voluntary humanitarian organizations.

The statement said the government was totally responsible for protecting the people and property of those working with relief aid in Darfur.

BBC Monitoring Middle East