Posted on 17-8-2004

Conditions In Darfur Deplorable
10/08/2004

Save the Children is operational in North, West and South Darfur. We have
launched an appeal for $4,614,000 to engage in food security, nutrition,
health, child protection, education and water and sanitation activities.

The conflict in Darfur, a struggle for the control of resources that has
taken ethnic lines, has now been underway for 16 months. The crisis has
affected over two million people, leaving 1.2 million people internally
displaced, and around a further 150,000 surviving as refugees in camps
along Chad’s eastern border.

International pressure continues to be mounted from all sides on the
Government of Sudan and rebel groups to address the prevailing insecurity
and human rights abuses that are taking place. A mission involving US
Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary General Kofi Anan
resulted in a joint communiqué between the UN and the Government of Sudan
in earlyt July. Commitments were made on humanitarian issues, human
rights, security and political aspects. The general view among many
organisations and individuals involved is that little has been achieved to
date.

Overall numbers of displaced people continue to rise, while reports of
attacks and rights violations are commonplace, despite the partial
deployment of an agreed contingent of Ceasefire Monitors from the African
Union.

The UN Security Council passed a resolution on 30 July giving the Sudanese
government 30 days to bring the crisis in Darfur under control or face
international action. The terms of the resolution include a lifting of
restrictions on humanitarian aid, facilitating access and reining in
pro-government Arab militias blamed for atrocities in Darfur.

Humanitarian situation

Subsistence conditions for those affected can be broadly characterised as
deplorable.

The World Food Programme and its partners, for example, were able to
deliver food aid to only 65 per cent of 1. 2 million intended
beneficiaries in June. The target figure will increase to 2 million in the
coming months. Certain areas in Darfur will become increasingly difficult
to access during the height of the rains during August.

Reports of intimidation, threats and attacks against refugees, with
particular reports of rapes by the Janjaweed militia, and harassment,
continue to raise great concern to the international community