Sudan accuses US Rice of wanting to feed South Kordofan rebels
January 17, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan’s envoy to the United Nations rejected calls by the US Ambassador Susan Rice to put more pressures on Khartoum to authorize humanitarian assistance to the affected population in the war-torn South Kordofan region and accused her of wanting to feed rebels.
Rice told the press that the “conflict has affected more than 500,000 people, and if there is not a substantial new inflow of aid by March of this year, the situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile will reach Stage 4 of an emergency, which is one step short of full scale famine.”
The US official blamed Khartoum for denying access to international NGOs, the UN agencies to the most affected populations in the two states. She further termed the humanitarian situation there as “unconscionable and unacceptable”.
Commenting on Rice’s statements the Sudanese ambassador stressed that the humanitarian situation is normal except “the few pockets” held by the rebels in South Kordofan. He also reaffirmed the full cooperation of Sudanese authorities with the UN agencies present in the region.
“Those who used to shed crocodile tears will not serve the cause of peace and security whether in Sudan or anywhere”, said Osman who was alluding to the US envoy to the UN Susan Rice without mentioning her name.
The Sudanese diplomat further accused Rice of attempting to “conceal the real situation” in the region where Juba government supports the rebels who sided the South Sudanese rebels in the past. He also said those who speak about deterioration of humanitarian situation want the humanitarian “agencies to provide rebels with food”.
UN humanitarian chief Valery Amos visited earlier this month Khartoum to discuss the humanitarian situation in the troubled states with the Sudanese officials and demanded to authorize the UN and international aid workers to reach the rebel controlled areas. But Sudanese officials refused this request.
Amos however said she agreed with the government to share the information and data pertaining to the humanitarian situation in the two states to better assess the need there.
Also Khartoum agreed on “the need to ensure that the UN’s capacity is made up of a mix of national and international staff to ensure the appropriate skill sets to provide necessary support,” Amos further said at the end of her visit to Sudan.
Un agencies estimate that some 417,000 civilian were forced to flee the war zones in the two states. It is also estimated that over 80,000 refugees are now in the neighbouring South Sudan.
Clashes broke out in South Kordofan between the two former partners of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in June 2011 over allegation of fraud of regional elections and fears of forces disarmament of the SPLM-N fighters.
(ST)