Sudanese government orders UN envoy in southern Darfur to leave the state

KHARTOUM, May 23, 2004 (Sudan Tribune) — Sudanese government has ordered Helen Kitrbak the UN envoy for humanitarian affairs to Sudan in Southern Darfur State (SDS) to leave the state immediately. The government gave her a period of three days to so.

The state minister for humanitarian affairs, Muhammad Yusuf Abdallah, said the government took this step following numerous complains by SDS officials that the envoy was not cooperating with the authorities.

He said the government has officially informed the UN office in Khartoum about the need to change their representative in SDS with someone else. He said the ultimatum given to the envoy to leave the state ended yesterday. It is expected that she has already returned to Khartoum.

Commenting on the expulsion of the UN employee from Darfur, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nageeb Al-Khair Abdul-Wahab said the ministry is studying the circumstances that accompanied the expulsion.