JEM denounces aid group expulsion as ‘war crime’

July 19, 2010 (WASHINGTON) — The Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) slammed Sudan’s decision to expel two senior aid officials from the restive region after saying they violated the terms of their presence.

The two officials from the International Organisation for Migration received orders on Wednesday to leave Sudan within 72 hours, aid workers said.

The expulsion order came two days after the International Criminal Court charged President Omar al-Bashir with genocide over the Darfur conflict.

The IOM officials are Laura Martinez, a Spaniard, the organisation’s director in the war-torn western region, and Carla Palatini, an Italian who heads its office in South Darfur state, aid officials said.

“The Sudanese government is using food as a weapon to terrorize the Darfuri refugees and IDP’s. This is a war crime under international humanitarian law”
JEM spokesperson Ahmed Hussein Adam told Sudan Tribune.

“The ultimate aim of Khartoum is to dismantle the IDP camps and force them to return to their homes where insecurity prevails” he added.
IOM said that the expulsion ” will seriously impact on its capacity to continue its humanitarian work in Darfur”.

Last year, more than a dozen aid agencies were kicked out of Darfur after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Bashir last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

(ST)