UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan visits Darfur’s Jabal Marra
Feb 27, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan and the UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Manuel Aranda da Silva, visited on 25 February Deribat and Rowatta areas in Jabal Marra, North Darfur. Da Silva was accompanied by representatives from UNICEF, WFP and OCHA. He met with rebel groups field commanders in the two areas.
In Deribat, da Silva was informed that health services were limited and education was facing increasing problems. In particular, he was informed that 300 school children will be unable to take their Sudan certificate unless they are able to travel to Nyala to do so. Water was also highlighted as a major concern as a result of the withdrawal of the INGO that used to dig boreholes in the area.
He committed to working with UNICEF to try and improve the health and water situation and to try and facilitate the examinations of the school age children. UNICEF committed to looking into facilitating the movement of school children to Nyala to take their exams, the UNMIS news bulletin reported.
In Rowatta, water and health were deemed to be the most pressing, with no health clinic in the vicinity, and the nearest functioning borehole 7 kms away. Education was also highlighted as a concern. UNICEF confirmed that they had school materials in Al-Fasher and in Nyala which they could bring to the area when security conditions along the road permit.
Aranda da Silva pointed out the increasing insecurity faced by humanitarian workers, in particular the increasing trend of car-jacking and the strain that this was placing on humanitarian operations. He emphasized that the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian operations lies with those controlling the areas concerned. The field commanders in both Deribat and Rowatta committed to securing the safety of humanitarian operations.
The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan findings following his visit to Jabal Marra, including the need of a greater UN presence in the area, will be discussed next week with the UN humanitarian agencies.
(UN News Bulletin)