UN warns of worsening situation in Darfur
-27/10/05
Backing frequent recent warnings from church and human rights groups in the US and beyond, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has said that the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan is once again deteriorating sharply.
The alert from UN General Secretary Kofi Annanís representative follows another spate of kidnappings of aid workers and evidence of renewed military activity by Arab militia. According to UK Channel 4 News today, this has involved collusion by government forces.
Mr Guterres warned that a further calamity could take place in Darfur very soon, saying this would have “a devastating impact” on neighbouring countries as well as on the situation in other parts of Sudan.
“What we are witnessing on the ground is a very serious degeneration of the situation,” he told reporters and other guests at an event in London to mark the international launch of a DVD of the recent ‘Voices for Darfur’ concert. “…It is extremely nasty, with ugly events.”
The security situation has deteriorated tremendously within the past six weeks, especially in West Darfur, with ambushes, hostage-taking and attacks on villages as well as on the Aro Sharow camp for displaced people that left 34 displaced people and local villagers dead. Aid workers increasingly are the focus of attacks. Humanitarian agencies say this is seriously hampering their capacity to operate on the ground.
Guterres, who visited Darfur two months ago, said at that time he was optimistic that, though not easy, peace would be possible in Darfur, and that if it came about it would have a beneficial impact on the rest of the country.
“You have three different crises at the moment,” he said. “South Sudan, where peace was established based on the sharing of oil revenues; you have Darfur, and you have eastern Sudan, where the implications are also in relation to the neighbours and the problem between Eritrea and Ethiopia.”
“Darfur … in my opinion is the key for success or failure for Sudan as a whole,” he said. “If there is success in Darfur, it will have a positive impact for coordinating a peace agreement in the south and for allowing peace to develop in the east.”
But the reverse, he warned, would probably produce the opposite result: “If it gets worse in Darfur, it will deteriorate, and even in the south the agreement will be weakened.”
He expressed deep concern about the possible adverse effect on other countries in the region, especially Chad, which already hosts more than 200,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur.
As a result of a number of recent security incidents, the UN decided on October 11 to relocate non-essential staff out of part of West Darfur as a precautionary measure. It is hoped that this is a temporary measure and work can resume in the near future. Much will depend on the extent to which the Sudanese government can guarantee security for displaced people and aid workers on its territory.
UNHCR has been present in West Darfur since June 2004, with offices in El Geneina, Zalinge, Mukjar and in Nyala (south Darfur). There are 37 international staff and 37 national staff working in those offices. Depending on the security situation, an additional five offices will be opened to enhance protection monitoring coverage and better assist the displaced people.
Estimates for Darfuri Africans killed by government forces and militia since February 2003 range from 180,000 to 400,000. Over 2.5 million people have been displaced and remain at mortal risk, facing continued violence, malnutrition and disease, say US and British development agencies.
In June and July 2005 Sojourners (headed up by the Rev Jim Wallis), Cedar Ridge Community Church, Africa Action, Genocide Intervention Fund and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in the USA organised a series of five worship vigils in Washington DC highlighting the Darfur situation. The action was called Worship for Justice.
Leading NGOs and church groups in the United States and France have been urging United Nations mandated peace enforcement operations in Darfur, Sudan. Protect Darfur (UK), backed by 118 members of parliament, is also a partner in the initiative.
UN warns of worsening situation in Darfur
-27/10/05
Backing frequent recent warnings from church and human rights groups in the US and beyond, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has said that the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan is once again deteriorating sharply.
The alert from UN General Secretary Kofi Annan’s representative follows another spate of kidnappings of aid workers and evidence of renewed military activity by Arab militia. According to UK Channel 4 News today, this has involved collusion by government forces.
Mr Guterres warned that a further calamity could take place in Darfur very soon, saying this would have “a devastating impact” on neighbouring countries as well as on the situation in other parts of Sudan.
“What we are witnessing on the ground is a very serious degeneration of the situation,” he told reporters and other guests at an event in London to mark the international launch of a DVD of the recent ‘Voices for Darfur’ concert. “…It is extremely nasty, with ugly events.”
The security situation has deteriorated tremendously within the past six weeks, especially in West Darfur, with ambushes, hostage-taking and attacks on villages as well as on the Aro Sharow camp for displaced people that left 34 displaced people and local villagers dead. Aid workers increasingly are the focus of attacks. Humanitarian agencies say this is seriously hampering their capacity to operate on the ground.
Guterres, who visited Darfur two months ago, said at that time he was optimistic that, though not easy, peace would be possible in Darfur, and that if it came about it would have a beneficial impact on the rest of the country.
“You have three different crises at the moment,” he said. “South Sudan, where peace was established based on the sharing of oil revenues; you have Darfur, and you have eastern Sudan, where the implications are also in relation to the neighbours and the problem between Eritrea and Ethiopia.”
“Darfur … in my opinion is the key for success or failure for Sudan as a whole,” he said. “If there is success in Darfur, it will have a positive impact for coordinating a peace agreement in the south and for allowing peace to develop in the east.”
But the reverse, he warned, would probably produce the opposite result: “If it gets worse in Darfur, it will deteriorate, and even in the south the agreement will be weakened.”
He expressed deep concern about the possible adverse effect on other countries in the region, especially Chad, which already hosts more than 200,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur.
As a result of a number of recent security incidents, the UN decided on October 11 to relocate non-essential staff out of part of West Darfur as a precautionary measure. It is hoped that this is a temporary measure and work can resume in the near future. Much will depend on the extent to which the Sudanese government can guarantee security for displaced people and aid workers on its territory.
UNHCR has been present in West Darfur since June 2004, with offices in El Geneina, Zalinge, Mukjar and in Nyala (south Darfur). There are 37 international staff and 37 national staff working in those offices. Depending on the security situation, an additional five offices will be opened to enhance protection monitoring coverage and better assist the displaced people.
Estimates for Darfuri Africans killed by government forces and militia since February 2003 range from 180,000 to 400,000. Over 2.5 million people have been displaced and remain at mortal risk, facing continued violence, malnutrition and disease, say US and British development agencies.
In June and July 2005 Sojourners (headed up by the Rev Jim Wallis), Cedar Ridge Community Church, Africa Action, Genocide Intervention Fund and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in the USA organised a series of five worship vigils in Washington DC highlighting the Darfur situation. The action was called Worship for Justice.
Leading NGOs and church groups in the United States and France have been urging United Nations mandated peace enforcement operations in Darfur, Sudan. Protect Darfur (UK), backed by 118 members of parliament, is also a partner in the initiative.