Operation Lifeline Sudan temporarily scales back operations after unrest in Lokichoggio

NAIROBI, 24 June 2003 - United Nations and non-governmental agencies today were forced to temporarily scale back operations in support of humanitarian relief in Southern Sudan due to unrest in the northern Kenyan town of Lokichoggio.
Over three hundred staff of UN agencies and non-governmental organisations have been requested to remain in their camp today as local tensions flared into unrest in the town. Lokichoggio is close to the Kenya-Sudan border and is used as a logistics base for humanitarian aid operations serving millions of war-affected people in rebel-held southern Sudan.

The unrest began after a hand grenade reportedly exploded in the town's marketplace in the morning. According to information available to the UN, the grenade blast resulted in minor injuries to one or two people and then sparked off wider hostility between the local community and southern Sudanese people. Gunfire was heard and some looting reported. Several hundred women and children took temporary refuge in the Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) base camp during the unrest.

Local Kenyan police and military forces calmed the situation by mid-afternoon, protecting both local communities and aid workers at the OLS camp.

Aircraft usually ferrying relief supplies and staff to and from Southern Sudan have been grounded for at least 24 hours as the UN monitors the situation closely.

"We are grateful to the Kenyan security forces for their prompt handling of the volatile situation and continued protection of our staff and facilities. We hope, in the interest of all the communities living in the town and for the people of Southern Sudan whom we reach through Lokichoggio, that tensions will ease after this unfortunate incident and we can get back to normal operations", said Bernt Aasen, the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan.

For further information, contact:

Ben Parker, Spokesperson for the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, mobile: +254 733 609869