Sudan: United Nations official blocked from Darfur camp

Government Authorities Assure Access During Remainder Of Trip

(New York: 24 March 2007): United Nations Under-Secretary-General John Holmes arrived today in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur province in Sudan, to meet with the state governor, tribal leaders, NGOs, and UN organizations working in the region. He also planned to visit one of the many camps for some of Darfur's 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

However, six hours after arriving on the ground in Darfur, the Under-Secretary-General's convoy was stopped at a military checkpoint in Kutum town and denied permission to continue to Kassab IDP camp. Mr. Holmes had planned to tour this camp in order to meet with community leaders and speak with women about the consequences of the ongoing Darfur crisis. There are 22,700 inhabitants in Kassab camp, who are reliant on humanitarian aid to stay alive.

"The United Nations and its NGO partners are keeping these people alive--and we are not allowed in. We should be allowed to move freely," said Mr. Holmes from the Kutum airfield this afternoon. "I fear this is typical of what aid workers trying to make a difference in Darfur deal with on a daily basis," Mr. Holmes added.

There are half a dozen international NGOs and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) working in Kutum, some of whom have only recently returned after temporarily or partially suspending their programs due to the deteriorating security situation. Clashes between rebel factions, Government of Sudan forces, and proxy militia have been going on since late 2006, with the civilian population caught in the cross fire.

Government officials who later contacted the Under-Secretary-General fully apologized for the incident. They offered him their assurances that his visit to Jebel Marra and to Abu Shouk IDP camp tomorrow would go smoothly.

"Tomorrow I look forward to conducting scheduled visits to these locales," Mr. Holmes said, after accepting the apology.

Mr. Holmes will spend the night in El Fasher and plans to visit Jebel Marra and the Abu Shouk IDP camp on Sunday, 25 March, before returning to Khartoum.

Note to Editors:

Most humanitarian aid workers were withdrawn from Kassab camp in December 2006 following an attack on an international compound. Kutum is a government-controlled town about 120 kilometres north of the El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

For further information, please call: Dawn Blalock, OCHA-Sudan, +249 187 089 453, +249 912 174 454 (mobile), +88 216 5119 1670 (Thuraya), Maurizio Giuliano, OCHA-Southern Sudan, +249 912 179 084 (mobile), +88 216 433 4197 (Thuraya), Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.