UN say aid workers in Darfur detained, harassed

KHARTOUM, Feb 23 (Reuters) – The United Nations said on Wednesday it had complained to the Sudanese government about the harassment and sometimes temporary detention of aid workers in areas of conflict-torn Darfur.

“While security incidents in Darfur appear to have reduced in numbers, harassment of NGO (non-governmental organisation) humanitarian workers in south Darfur continues,” U.N. spokesman George Somerwill told a news conference in Khartoum.

He said a Sudanese aid worker employed by an international NGO was detained on Feb. 17, while on the same day a foreign aid worker and four Sudanese employees working for another international agency were also detained.

“All were released on bail, but the (U.N.) humanitarian coordinator expressed his serious concern to the government,” Somerwill said, adding that the detentions were carried out by the local South Darfur state authorities.

He said harassment of aid workers had continued in the past two or three months despite an improving security situation.

“It is totally unacceptable that in a country where the humanitarian needs are so great that the people who are here to try to help Darfuris and particularly south Darfuris should face this kind of difficulty. Their lives are hard enough already,” Somerwill said.

The United Nations has previously raised similar concerns with the Sudanese authorities about arrests and harassment of aid workers.

After years of tribal conflict over scarce resources in arid Darfur, rebels took up arms in early 2003, accusing the government of neglect and of arming Arab militias, known as Janjaweed, to loot and burn non-Arab villages.

Khartoum admits arming some militias to fight the rebels but denies any links to the Janjaweed, calling them outlaws.

The fighting has killed tens of thousands and forced almost 2 million people from their homes.