Hollywood actress Mia Farrow to visit troubled Darfur: UNICEF
KHARTOUM, Nov 6 (AFP) — Award-winning American actress Mia Farrow is to visit the war-torn Darfur region this weekend in her capacity as goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children Fund, the agency said.
Farrow intends “to witness first-hand the worsening humanitarian crisis affecting over two million people,” UNICEF said in a statement announcing the visit to the area where thousands have died, children are starving and where rape and other abuses are widespread.
The actress is due to discuss the situation with Sudanese government officials, the African Union mission in Sudan and representatives of international and local humanitarian agencies operating in the region.
The actress is known for her partnership with director Woody Allen and received a Golden Globe award for her role in “Alice” (1990).
She was due to arrive in Khartoum later on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of people have died in the 21-month-old conflict pitting government and Arab militia forces against two main rebel groups in Darfur: the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.
Some 1.4 million people have been left homeless and a further 200,000 have fled into neighboring Chad as a result of the conflict, which the United Nations says has instigated the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
“Countless women and girls suffered rape during the conflict and they continue to face sexual violence whenever they venture out of their makeshift encampments,” said the statement.
“Reports indicate that armed militias are using rape as a tactic to humiliate individuals and communities. Assaults are indiscriminate, young and old women are equal targets.”
The agency added that despite efforts to stabilize the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur, matters had not improved much.
“Unfortunately, the conflict-affected population has grown steadily every month, due to persistent violence, and insecurity. Over one fifth of all children in Darfur are malnourished, despite the continued interventions of the humanitarian community.”