Chad: Security situation worsens, one humanitarian worker killed

New York / Geneva / N'Djamena: 02 May 2008: Amidst increasing insecurity in eastern Chad, a staff member of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Save the Children - United Kingdom (SC-UK) was murdered yesterday. Pascal Marlinge, aged 49, was the country director of the NGO in the country.

'The targeting of humanitarian workers who are in Chad to assist people affected by civil strife is an inexcusable crime', said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. He called for those responsible to be brought to justice.

The murder occurred yesterday, about 20 kilometres east of Farchana in eastern Chad. Mr. Marlinge was travelling in a three-car convoy from Farchana to the village of Hajir Hadid, close to the Sudanese border. He died due to gunshots when the convoy was attacked by armed individuals, who have not yet been identified.

'Eastern Chad is already affected by a grave humanitarian crisis, with almost half a million people heavily reliant on humanitarian aid for their survival,' said Kingsley Amaning, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Chad. 'The recent trend of worsening insecurity makes it all the more difficult for us to deliver aid, and the impact of insecurity on our operations is becoming more and more tangible,' he added.

Insecurity in eastern Chad is hampering the delivery of relief and the safety of humanitarian actors. Since the beginning of the year, 31 attacks targeting relief workers were registered, of which three were fatal.

For further information, please call:

Maurizio Giuliano, Public Information Officer, United Nations, N'Djamena
Email: giuliano@un.org
Tel: +235-6053892

Katy Thiam, Associate Information Officer, United Nations, Abéché, Chad
Email: thiamk@un.org
Tel: +235-6201542

Stephanie Bunker, Spokesperson, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), New York
Email: bunker@un.org
Tel: +1-917-3675126

Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Geneva
Email: byrs@un.org
Tel: +41-22-9172653