Sudan: Humanitarian staff relocated following attack on compounds in South Darfur

Continued armed operations jeopardize humanitarian assistance

[Khartoum, 19 December 2006] Seventy-one aid workers were temporarily relocated from the town of Gereida, South Darfur, today following an attack by armed groups on their compounds during the night of 18 December. Approximately 20 armed men attacked several NGO compounds, entering the premises, harassing the staff and stealing vehicles, communication equipment and money. While no staff were injured, the situation was deemed too unstable for aid workers to remain and 71 NGO were temporarily relocated to Nyala by helicopter flights throughout the day.

The perpetrators of the attack have not yet been identified and the area is controlled by the Minnawi faction of the SLA which is a signatory of the Darfur Peace Agreement.

With nearly 130,000 displaced people gathered in the town, Gereida hosts the largest population of displaced persons in all Darfur. "That is why this sort of incident is a huge blow. The work of these NGOs is critical, ensuring 130,000 people get water to drink, food and health assistance," said UN Humanitarian Coordination Manuel Aranda da Silva, who is also the Deputy Special Representative for the Secretary-General. "How can we expect them to carry out humanitarian work without vehicles to get to camps, phones to communicate, and the constant threat to their own physical safety? This is preventing humanitarian organizations from providing life-saving assistance."

The latest incident brings the number of UN and NGOs staff that have had to be relocated due to security reasons so far during the month of December to more than 400 - the largest monthly relocation of humanitarian workers since the large-scale humanitarian operation in Darfur began in 2004.

Earlier this week, the UN launched the annual Work Plan for Sudan, the planning and funding document for 2007, which called for US$653 million for humanitarian and recovery assistance for Darfur.

"These funds are needed for Darfur's massive relief operation, which is providing life saving assistance to 3.5 million people," said Mr. da Silva. "The work of aid organizations is being done against all odds - in a environment of increasing violence against civilians, targeted attacks on humanitarians and theft of critical humanitarian assets."

For more information contact: Ms. Dawn Elizabeth Blalock, +249-912-174-454 or blalock@un.org