UN aid chief calls for end to attacks on relief workers in Darfur
November 30, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – United Nations Emergency Relief
Coordinator John Holmes called for an end to attacks on aid workers in
Darfur, which are occurring twice as frequently this year as last
year, and for improved cooperation with the government of Sudan.
hijacked, 172 premises assaulted, 35 convoys ambushed or looted, 189
staff abducted, 28 wounded, and 25 forcibly relocated, according to
the UN. There are 16,400 humanitarian aid workers in Darfur,
ninety-four percent of which are Sudanese citizens.
“It is unacceptable that we have double the attacks on aid workers
than we had this time last year,” said Homes, pinning the
responsibility to protect humanitarian workers on the government while
alleging that “it is the rebel movements and those linked to them who
appear to be responsible for most of these attacks.”
Meanwhile, government officials launched an intimidation campaign
against aid workers in South Darfur, forcing them to hand over
passwords to personal email accounts and files, UN officials told
Reuters on Sunday.
The World Food Programme in September warned of “relentless attacks on truck convoys” and was forced to cut rations earlier in the year.
Holmes nevertheless credited Sudan with extending the so-called
“Moratorium on Fast Track Procedures for humanitarian workers in
Darfur” until 31 January 2010.
While in Darfur, Holmes visited Kalma camp in south Darfur as well as
Hamadiya and Taiba camps near Zalingei in West Darfur.
UN officials say that roughly 300,000 people have been killed in
Darfur since 2003 and roughly 2.7 million displaced. The government
blames the Western news media for exaggerating these figures.
The aid chief also visited those displaced by fighting in Abyei, which
occurred in May along the border between North and South Sudan. Holmes
met with the new Abyei administrator and his deputy.
On a two day visit to Juba, the UN official urged donors to continue
their funding to confront critical humanitarian and recovery issues,
particularly in the health sector, and encouraged the Government of
Southern Sudan themselves to step up their efforts to provide basic
services and develop key sectors such as agriculture.
(ST)