‘HUMANITARIAN PERFECT STORM’ BREWING IN SOUTHERN SUDAN, WARNS UN OFFICIAL

Spiralling inter-tribal conflict, a massive food shortage and a budget crisis have converged to create a humanitarian emergency in southern Sudan, putting at least 40 per cent of the local population at risk, a senior United Nations official warned today.

A "humanitarian perfect storm" is how Lise Grande, the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in the region, described it during a <"http://unmis.unmissions.org/Portals/UNMIS/2009Docs/PC-Aug12.pdf">news conference in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

"Southern Sudan is facing an almost unmanageable set of problems," she said. "A lot of good work is being done… despite this, we just can't keep up."

Southern Sudan was the scene of one of Africa's longest and bloodiest civil wars, in which at least 2 million people were killed, until the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned that the recent flare-up of inter-tribal fighting is jeopardizing the stability of the entire country and putting at risk key milestones of the CPA.

According to Ms. Grande, inter-tribal conflicts are increasing in number and intensity. Since January, over 2,000 people have died in inter-tribal violence and more than 250,000 people have been displaced across southern Sudan, she noted.

The region also faces an acute food shortage brought about by a combination of delayed seasonal rains, widespread insecurity and high food prices. In addition, the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) is tackling a "massive" budget gap owing to the global financial crisis and the drop in oil prices.

"Probably no other Government in the region has suffered as much from the global meltdown as southern Sudan, which has lost a staggering 40 per cent of the revenues it expected," said Ms. Grande. "As a result many of the plans that the GoSS had made with the international partners, the UN agencies and NGOs [non-governmental organizations] have had to be shelved."

The situation has left 1.2 million people dependent on food assistance from the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/news">WFP) and is made worse by a lack of funding for humanitarian work, she added.

Ms. Grande stated that $85 million is the bare minimum needed just to keep people alive in southern Sudan, where more than 90 per cent of the population lives on less than $1 per day, 97 per cent has no access to sanitation, and one out of seven women who become pregnant will probably die of pregnancy-related complications.

While there are many constraints in southern Sudan, she said two of the most difficult are access and capacity. Presently, there is less than 200 kilometres of paved road in the whole region. "At the best of times, we have access to only 40 per cent of the areas we need to get to. During the rainy season, we lose even this," she stated.

"In terms of capacity, the point is that there isn't enough," she said, whether it is on the part of the Government, UN agencies or NGOs.

"The GoSS is making Herculean efforts, the NGOs are doing fantastic work, the UN agencies are operating around the clock, but all of us are stretched to the limit – we don't have enough money, we don't have enough staff and because of these constraints we are not moving out of the emergency fast enough."

UN FOOD AGENCY ANXIOUS OVER POSSIBLE VIOLENT REPRISALS IN SOUTHERN SUDANn

The United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/news">WFP) today expressed fears of a wave of deadly retaliatory attacks on the heels of the massacre of more than 100 people in southern Sudan earlier over the weekend.

"WFP and its partners have called on the Government to put an end to inter-tribal fighting, which is endangering the delivery of humanitarian aid," UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters.

Yesterday, the Security Council condemned the "grave attacks" in Akobo in Jonglei state that killed at least 185 people, including over 100 women and children. At least 60 people from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) were also reported dead as a result of the attacks, which took place on Sunday.

Ambassador John Sawers of the United Kingdom, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said the attacks were especially concerning given that they seemed to target women and children and involved the use of sophisticated weaponry.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=4006">statement issued earlier this week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his concern at the latest "heinous" surge in violence in southern Sudan, the scene of one of Africa's longest and bloodiest civil wars.

At least 2 million people were killed, 4 million others uprooted and 600,000 more fled across the borders until a peace agreement in 2005 ended the 20 years of fighting between southern separatists and the national Government in the north.

A referendum on independence for the south is expected to be held in 2011, following national elections next year.

More recently, violence has flared periodically from various quarters, with some 700 people have been killed since March in the region while another 19,000 have been uprooted, Ms. Okabe said today.

The Secretary-General warned last month that escalating inter-tribal fighting was jeopardizing the stability of the entire country and putting at risk key milestones in implementing the 2005 pact, known as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Attacks by the notorious Ugandan rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), have also wrought havoc in border regions in the south.

SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORES DEADLY ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIANS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

Security Council members today condemned the "grave attacks" in southern Sudan this weekend that have killed at least 185 people, many of them women and children.

Ambassador John Sawers of the United Kingdom, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said the attacks were especially concerning given that they seemed to target women and children and involved the use of sophisticated weaponry.

The killings took place on Sunday in Akobo in Jonglei state and the victims reportedly include more than 100 women and children. At least 60 people from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) were also reported dead as a result of the attacks.

Mr. Sawers, speaking on behalf of Council members, stressed the need for the protection of civilians and measures to ensure humanitarian relief can reach those people in need.

They also said they support the joint efforts of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (<"http://unmis.unmissions.org/">UNMIS), the Government of Southern Sudan and local authorities to investigate the causes of the violence and to prevent any retaliatory attacks.

If the attacks continue, Mr. Sawers warned, they could jeopardize the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the wide-ranging pact from 2005 that ended the long-running and brutal Sudanese civil war between north and south.

Today's remarks from the Council echoed a statement issued yesterday by a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in which he voiced extreme concern at the situation and directed UN officials to provide aid and assistance to the victims of the violence.

UN EXTENDS AID TO VICTIMS OF DEADLY NEW VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today ordered United Nations officials to extend all possible assistance to the victims of the latest "heinous" surge of violence in southern Sudan, where 161 people, including 100 women and children, were reported to have been killed yesterday.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban voiced his "extreme concern" at the killing in Akobo in Jonglei state, where 50 men and 11 soldiers from the regional Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) were also killed.

Southern Sudan was the scene of one of Africa's longest and bloodiest civil wars, in which at least 2 million people were killed, 4 million others uprooted and 600,000 more fled across the borders, until a peace agreement in 2005 ended the 20 years of fighting between southern separatists and the national Government in the north. A referendum on independence for the south is expected to be held in 2011, following national elections next year.

More recently, violence has flared periodically from various quarters, with Mr. Ban warning last month that escalating inter-tribal fighting was jeopardizing the stability of the entire country and putting at risk key milestones in implementing the 2005 pact, known as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Attacks by the notorious Ugandan rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), have also wrought havoc in border regions in the south.

In his statement today condemning the latest violence, Mr. Ban directed the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) "to extend all possible assistance to those affected by this heinous act and work with local authorities to restore calm."

He called on the regional Government of Southern Sudan "to bring to justice those responsible for these events and take the necessary measures to protect civilians across Southern Sudan."
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SUDAN: UN-BACKED DRIVE TO BOOST BIRTH REGISTRATION KICKS OFF

A United Nations-backed campaign to boost birth registration was launched today in Sudan, where less than one-third of children have a birth certificate, leaving the unregistered vulnerable to abuse and at risk of being denied an education and other social services.

"Birth registration itself protects many other human rights that contribute in turn to a child's successful development and protection," said Per Engebak, acting Representative to Sudan of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), ahead of the unveiling of the new programme in the capital, Khartoum, by UN agencies, the Government of National Unity and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

"Without documented proof of age, a child is exposed to the risk of under-age recruitment, to exploitative child labour and to the evil of trafficking," he said. "Without that simple piece of paper in their hands, children who are separated from their families in times of crisis may be unable to provide critical information that would help with their reunification."

Data on births is also crucial for identifying resource needs and budgeting for social services.

The two-day workshop that began today, with the support of the UN, will help to find how to bring down the barriers to increasing registrations across Sudan.
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EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE CRUCIAL TO SHORING UP PEACE IN POST-CONFLICT NATIONS, SAYS BAN

Ending war is only the first step in peacebuilding, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, stressing the need for well-planned and coordinated international support in the immediate aftermath of conflict to ensure the consolidation of stability.

Peacebuilding entails "putting in place the institutions and trust that will carry people forward into a peaceful future," Mr. Ban told the Security Council.

There is a crucial two-year period following the end of hostilities, when insecurity persists and peace is fragile, he added. "If peace is to be sustainable, the international community must make the most of this moment and provide the right support at the right time."

But he warned that there is only "a limited window of opportunity" in which to deliver peace dividends, including boosting security, restoring basic services and kick-starting economic recovery.

Briefing the 15-member Council on his latest report on peacebuilding, the Secretary-General said he has seen first-hand the impacts of slow or inadequate responses to post-conflict needs in countries such as Sudan, Haiti, Liberia and Timor-Leste.

He called for a five-pronged approach to ensuring that peacebuilding is better-planned and managed.

Firstly, Mr. Ban said, such a response would require national ownership, for "peace will not take root if it comes from the outside," and the UN and its partners should play a supporting role.

Also essential is international leadership, he said, pointing out that he has created a senior-level mechanism that will ensure that the right leadership and support teams are in place as early as possible.

Coherence is another vital element, with effective peacebuilding actions requiring the cooperation of all members of the UN family and others.

Another key facet is a common strategy, the Secretary-General said, noting that even though in the wake of conflicts, "everything feels urgent, and there are many pressing needs," it is essential to align behind a joint approach.

Lastly, predictable and credible delivery is vital, he stressed, adding that "Member States need to help ensure that we have sufficient international capacity to respond rapidly to the most urgent needs."

At today's meeting, which heard from dozens of speakers, Mr. Ban also underscored the importance of funding, with some UN entities facing "serious challenges" in securing timely financing.

"For over a decade we have been grappling with how to bring peacebuilding upstream and mount a more rapid and effective response in the immediate aftermath of conflict," he wrote in the report. "However, at this time of global resource constraints, when the most vulnerable bear the brunt of economic downturn, there is a new urgency to redouble our efforts and ensure that resources are used more efficiently by promoting a more coherent, effective and focused response

"The people in post-conflict countries will benefit if we move from words to action," said Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile, who is the current chairman of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, which was set up in 2005 to help countries coming out of war determine the priority areas for rebuilding out of the vast array of challenges they face. Countries can also avail themselves of financial assistance from the Peacebuilding Fund to start projects.
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TRIBAL VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN UNDERMINES PEACE AGREEMENT, UN REPORTS

Escalating inter-tribal violence in Southern Sudan is jeopardizing the stability of the entire country, and key milestones in implementing the peace pact that ended the long-running north-south civil war are at risk, the United Nations warned today.

In his latest report on the work of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the security situation in the south has deteriorated since April, with long-simmering disputes sparking "alarming waves of violence [and] at times triggering vicious cycles of attack."

At least 200 civilians have been killed in the clashes, as well as dozens of members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the former southern rebel group that signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 to end the civil war.

Mr. Ban said the future of the CPA depends largely on the relationship between the SPLA and the National Congress Party (NCP), which signed the agreement and formed a Government of National Unity in Khartoum.

"Their action or inaction in the coming months will determine whether the outstanding benchmarks," such as elections scheduled for next year and a subsequent referendum that could result in the secession of southern Sudan, can be upheld.

He urged both sides to "take steps to engage in meaningful dialogue and reach agreement on outstanding issues."

One of those issues is the status of Abyei, an oil-rich area in the centre of the country that has been contested by north and south and was the scene of deadly clashes last year that forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration on Abyei is preparing to give its decision on the issue shortly, and in today's report, Mr. Ban said he welcomed the commitment by both sides to accept and peacefully implement whatever the court decides.

"This commitment would now have to be translated into requisite orders to the security apparatus on the ground and to the local leadership and communities who may feel disenfranchised by the arbitration decision.

"Crucially, the Abyei area needs a fully funded and functional civilian administration irrespective of the result of the arbitration and I urge the parties to take all steps needed to achieve this."

Next year's planned national elections are vital, the report noted, "for the process of democratic transformation throughout" the country and it stressed the importance of peaceful, transparent and credible polls.

Mr. Ban also welcomed recent joint efforts by the Government, the UN and its aid partners to reduce the most critical humanitarian gaps created by the expulsion in March of many international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

But he added that "current levels of assistance in some areas remain below the necessary standards and the humanitarian community remains watchful of the onset of the rainy season."
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UN RELIEF CHIEF MEETS WITH VICTIMS OF RECENT VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

UN RELIEF CHIEF MEETS WITH VICTIMS OF RECENT VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
New York, May 8 2009 2:00PM
The top United Nations relief official travelled to Southern Sudan today, where he met with some of the thousands of men, women and children who have been displaced by recent violence.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA), up to 1,000 people have been killed and over 100,000 uprooted from their homes since January in seven states in Southern Sudan due to the activities of the Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and inter-ethnic clashes.

Continuing his five-day visit to Sudan, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator went to Akobo in Jonglei State, where thousands are taking shelter after fleeing recent violence.

Many of those he met told Mr. Holmes of their plight, some of them recounting how they had lost relatives in the violence.

There are currently 24 humanitarian organizations responding to the increasing needs of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 7 of the 10 states of Southern Sudan, OCHA said.

Mr. Holmes also met today with Riek Machar, Vice-President of the Government of Southern Sudan, with whom he discussed humanitarian needs in the region, especially those in areas affected by ongoing conflict in Jonglei State.

Tomorrow he will travel to Darfur to meet with local leaders and aid workers, as well as visit Zam Zam camp for IDPs in North Darfur.

The UN relief chief will review the humanitarian situation in the areas, some two months after the Government expelled 13 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and revoked the permits of three local groups after the International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC?lan=en-GB">ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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UNICEF LAUDS FIRST-EVER CHILDREN’S RIGHTS LAW IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has hailed the first-ever law recognizing children's rights launched today in Southern Sudan, extolling the Government for its efforts to create a society in which children can grow and develop to their full potential.

The Child Act, inaugurated today by President Salva Kiir of Southern Sudan, defines a child as any person under the age of 18 and requires the Government to recognize, respect and ensure the rights of children enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"This legislation is a major milestone in creating a protective environment in which children can enjoy their rights to health, education and other basic services, to access information, to express their views, and to be protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm," said Peter Crowley, Director of Operations for UNICEF's Southern Sudan Area Programme.

Under the new law, any community member who suspects that a child's rights have been violated or are at risk must report the case to local authorities.

Additionally, parents must register their children's births; protect them from neglect, discrimination, violence and abuse; provide them with good care and guidance; and ensure they receive a full-time education.

The Act explicitly bans acts such as the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups, torture and cruel treatment, including the use of corporal punishment in schools, jails and public institutions. It also criminalizes early marriage and the use of children for prostitution and pornography.

No child under the age of 12 can be held accountable for criminal acts and further cannot be arrested and imprisoned, states the new law, which sets up a restorative justice system for children above age 12 accused of crimes.

Discrimination against children on the basis of gender, race, age, religion, language, opinion, disability and HIV or other health status, among others, is outlawed by the Act.

For children living without their parents – either temporarily or permanently – it requires that they are provided with alternative family care in their community.

The new legislation also establishes an independent Children's Commission, which must investigate reported violations and make recommendations on how to promote children's rights.
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UNDER UN SCHEME, FACEBOOK USERS CAN LEND REFUGEES A HAND

Thanks to a partnership with the United Nations refugee agency, the over two million users of the popular social networking website Facebook can now lend a hand to uprooted people around the world in need of shelter.

Under a new virtual charity scheme, Facebook users can purchase "gifts" for 16 non-profit organizations, including the "Gimme Shelter" campaign of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Under the scheme to benefit refugees in Afghanistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan, a virtual UNHCR tent is $10, while a "Gimme Shelter" token is $5.

"If 20 friends buy a virtual tent, they will raise enough funds for a refugee family to live in a real tent," said Claudia Gonzalez-Gisiger, UNHCR's Senior External Relations Officer. "That's the power of online social networking."

The agency's "Gimme Shelter" campaign is based on a short film of the same name by Academy Award winners Ben Affleck and John Toll. Shot in the DRC's volatile North Kivu province, it highlights the suffering and hopes of civilians forced from their homes by conflict.
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UN-ASSISTED SCHEME TO DEMOBILIZE EX-SOLDIERS IN EASTERN SUDAN ENTERS NEXT PHASE

The second phase of a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme supported by the United Nations that aims to help nearly 2,300 ex-combatants put down their weapons and reintegrate into civilian life kicked off today in eastern Sudan.

Senior governmental officials, UN officials and donors were among those on hand at the launch ceremony in Kassala State of the initiative, carried out under the Support to Human Security Project of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The DDR process is part of the 2006 Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA) that ended a decade-long conflict between the Government of Sudan and the Eastern Front.

"The DDR is the backbone of consolidating any peace agreement. Without successful reintegration of former fighters, sustainable peace, and accompanying social and economic development will not be possible," said UNDP Country Director Jerzy Skuratowicz.

"Therefore, the work we are undertaking collectively will be central to assisting Sudan to achieve its social and economics goals and to foster peace and development in the East," he added.

During the first phase, carried out from 2007-2008, the project succeeded in registering demobilized combatants, and providing them with services such as medical screening, food and clothing packages, and financial support.

Some 1,200 ex-combatants were trained on veterinary and basic business management skills, and provided with goats, sheep and commodities to help them start up small businesses.
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EGYPTIAN TROOPS ARRIVE IN DARFUR TO BOOST AFRICAN UNION-UN FORCE

The hybrid United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping force in Darfur, known as UNAMID, received a boost today from the arrival of 100 personnel from the second Egyptian Infantry Battalion.

Another 100 troops from the battalion are slated to arrive tomorrow in the strife-torn western flank of Sudan as a meeting of the Tripartite Committee – comprising the Government of Sudan, the AU and the UN – is scheduled to take place for the first time in Darfur.

Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Susana Malcorra is expected to attend the meeting in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which will examine ways to facilitate and expedite deployment of the AU-UN peacekeeping operation in the region.

The hybrid force was set up by the Security Council to protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million have been forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen.

More than one year on from transferring the task of suppressing the violence to UNAMID from the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS), well over 12,000 of the 19,555 military personnel authorized by the Security Council are now in place across Darfur.

In related news, UNAMID reported that an investigation team was dispatched to a fire that broke out last night at the Al Riyad camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), near El Geneina in West Darfur. As well as leaving a large number of people homeless, the blaze caused heavy damage to about 35 shelters and the loss of many animals.

This follows last week's arson attack in the West Darfur Abu Zar camp for IDPs in which two people were killed and three were rushed to hospital in El Geneina with serious injuries.

Meanwhile, the hybrid peacekeeping force characterized the security situation in Darfur for the past 72 hours as relatively calm apart from a few incidents of banditry and carjacking in both North and West Darfur. In the past few weeks, UNAMID has reported a rise in attacks on peacekeeping staff and harassment of civilians in the region.

There has also been concern recently over the safety of humanitarian workers, many of whom have been ordered to leave the region following the indictment earlier this month of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.
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FROM GAZA TO SUDAN, BAN HIGHLIGHTS CRISES CONFRONTING ARAB WORLD

From the widening fallout of the global economic crisis to the suffering of victims of armed conflict, the Arab world faces insecurity today and the potential for more tomorrow, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Summit of the League of Arab States in Doha today.

"The toll in human lives and deferred development has been tragically high," he said in his address to the gathering. "The region's large groups of refugees and internally displaced persons continue to live with their dignity under attack and with little ability to plan for their futures."

Mr. Ban said he remained gravely concerned about the situation is Gaza, which is dealing with the aftermath of the three-week offensive launched by Israel in late December 2008.

"The people of Gaza are suffering, and the situation at the crossings is intolerable," he stated, asserting that the way forward is a durable ceasefire, open crossings, and Palestinian reconciliation.

On Sudan, the Secretary-General urged the Government once again to reverse its decision to expel key international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and suspend the work of three national NGOs that provide life-sustaining services for more than one million people.

The Sudanese Government took that decision on 4 March, immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir, who was also present at today's Summit in the Qatari capital.

"Despite the efforts of Sudanese line ministries, UN agencies and the remaining NGOs, the gaps cannot be filled with existing capacities," Mr. Ban noted concerning the humanitarian crisis in the western Darfur region of the country. "Relief efforts should not become politicized. People in need must be helped irrespective of political differences."

Turning to another hot-spot on the continent, he said the present situation in Somalia offers a "rare window of opportunity," and urged immediate support for the new Government that was sworn in last month.

"Those of us with influence on the groups remaining outside of the peace process should call on them to join for the sake of national reconciliation," Mr. Ban said, adding that more must also be done to promote security on the ground, including by supporting the African Union mission there (AMISOM) and Somali security forces at an upcoming donor conference.

The Secretary-General also highlighted the multiple elections taking place this year in Iraq to strengthen democratic representation, advance the political process and promote stability, and said he looked forward to free and transparent polls on 7 June in Lebanon.

While in Doha, Mr. Ban held bilateral talks today with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amre Moussa, as well as with the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Foreign Minister of Norway and the President of the United Arab Emirates.

Yesterday, he held separate meetings with the Emir of Qatar and the Presidents of Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, Somalia and Syria.

Tomorrow the Secretary-General will open the International Conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, which will assess the current political, security and development issues in the South Asian nation.
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JOINT UN AND SUDANESE ASSESSMENT OF DARFUR AID REVEALS CRITICAL GAPS

United Nations humanitarian officials today commended the cooperation of Sudanese Government staff on an assessment of relief needs in war-torn Darfur, while they warned of high risks ahead following the ouster of crucial aid groups.

While a "significant effort" is being made by the Government, the UN and remaining aid groups to plug some of the immediate gaps, "these are band-aid solutions, if I can put it that way, not long-term solutions," John Holmes, Emergency Relief Coordinator told reporters in New York.

For the long-term, the survey, conducted between 11 and 19 March, discovered gaps in food aid; health and nutrition; non-food items and shelter; and water, sanitation and hygiene upon which some 4.7 million Darfur residents depend for survival.

Sudan decided to eject 13 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provided much of that aid on 4 March, immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir. The operations of three national NGOs have also been suspended.

Concrete plans will have to be put in place if these gaps are to be bridged in a sustainable, long-term manner two months from now, Ameerah Haq, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, said in the country's capital, Khartoum, as she released the results of the joint assessment.

Funding, plus adequate technical management, coordination and administration, previously provided by the experienced NGOs, must be replaced, Ms. Haq stressed.

In the area of water, she said that currently, over 850,000 people are still being served thanks to the quick engagement of the Government's water department, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and national NGOs.

However, within four weeks existing funds for spare parts and fuel for water pumps and other necessities will be depleted, while sanitary facilities will need urgent maintenance to prevent disease outbreaks.

While the Sudanese Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) are trying to address the gaps in health care, according to the assessment, salaries and staff are in place only until the end of April and up to 650,000 people currently do not have access to full health care.

The survey showed that food needs have been covered for March and April for about 1.1 million people, thanks to a one-time distribution by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) through local food committees. However, by the beginning of May, just as the gap between harvest times approaches, further distributions will not be made unless WFP finds new partners, Ms. Haq said.

On housing, Ms. Haq said that about 692,400 people waiting for shelter materials before the rains begin will not receive them unless the UN Joint Logistics Centre finds partners to carry out the distributions and gains access to existing distribution lists.

In all sectors, she said, expertise in technical assessments, planning, programme design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation has been lost, and the quality of relief, even if taken over by national NGOs, could suffer.

Administrative hurdles, such as the lack of travel permits and technical agreements, also hinder the work of NGOs as well as line ministries in their work, she said, although she welcomed the Government's commitment to fast track the technical agreements of all remaining NGOs.

Since the decision to oust the NGOs, besides trying to fill aid gaps, the UN has continued to advocate for a reversal of the expulsions, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been in close contact with Arab and African leaders and members of the Security Council.

An estimated 300,000 people have died and another 3 million have been displaced in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.
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VIOLENCE THWARTS REFUGEE RETURN TO SOUTHERN SUDAN – UN

The deteriorating security situation in some parts of Southern Sudan is preventing the return of refugees from Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today.

Last week, coordinated violent protests organized by war veterans from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) – who have not been paid their benefits for five months – paralyzed some towns in the Central and Eastern Equatoria region and disrupted lives for several days.

After meetings with Southern Sudanese President Silva Kiir, from 19-20 March, the veterans lifted their blockade in the town of Yei, but the protests continue in Kapoeta, whose town centre is still occupied, UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva.

These disturbances have impeded the movement of refugees and aid workers, forcing UNHCR to temporarily postpone or stop five repatriation convoys carrying nearly 1,000 returnees from Uganda.

In February, the agency suspended the repatriation of refugees from Ethiopia due to clashes between the SPLA and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Malakal that left over 50 people dead and leading to widespread looting of UN warehouses and the subsequent relocation of relief workers.

"UNHCR is also deeply concerned about the continuing conflict between the Nuer and Murle ethnic groups in the Jonglei region that has so far claimed the lives of some 750 people and caused significant displacement," Mr. Redmond said of the fighting which was sparked by cattle rustling raids.

The Governor of the Jonglei region held an emergency meeting with UN agencies last week to determine how to assist victims of these clashes.

Nearly 155,000 Sudanese refugees have returned voluntarily to South Sudan and Blue Nile State with UNHCR's help since December 2005. A further 157,000 refugees have also repatriated from neighbouring countries since the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended two decades of north-south civil war in Sudan.
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