DARFUR RIFE WITH VIOLENCE AGAINST PEACEKEEPERS, CIVILIANS, UN SAYS

DARFUR RIFE WITH VIOLENCE AGAINST PEACEKEEPERS, CIVILIANS, UN SAYS
New York, Mar 18 2009 6:00PM

Attacks on peacekeeping staff, carjacking, other banditry, and harassment of civilians continue to proliferate in Darfur, the African Union-United Nations mission in the strife-torn region of Sudan (UNAMID) reported today.

A UNAMID vehicle was carjacked in Nyala, South Darfur, this morning by armed men in military uniforms, and on Monday, two of the mission's national staff members were stopped while they were driving a UN vehicle, beaten and left by five armed men dressed in civilian clothes in El Geneina, West Darfur.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday condemned an ambush that led to the death of a blue helmet, the second attack on a peacekeeping patrol in the region in a little over a week, and said he was "deeply concerned by the increased security threats faced by UNAMID in Darfur.

At the same time, concern continues to mount over the safety of humanitarian workers, many of whom have been ordered to leave the region following the recent indictment of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

The joint UN/Government of Sudan assessments of humanitarian gaps in Darfur being conducted in the wake of those expulsions continue, having been extended by one day to be completed tomorrow, UNAMID added.

The three assessment teams will have wrap-up meetings at the level of state Government tomorrow and then travel to Sudan's capital, Khartoum, where they will sort through the data for the following few days, the mission said.

Meanwhile, the number of internally displaced persons (IDP) fleeing violence and harassment continues to grow, with new arrivals in the Zam Zam camp in North Darfur pushing the total in the camp to 80,000.

The majority of the newcomers are from villages and IDP camps in South Darfur, but there are also arrivals from North Darfur.

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.
________________

UN CONDEMNS FATAL AMBUSH OF DARFUR PEACEKEEPERS

UN CONDEMNS FATAL AMBUSH OF DARFUR PEACEKEEPERS
New York, Mar 17 2009 2:00PM

The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) condemned an ambush earlier today that led to the death of one blue helmet, the second such attack on peacekeepers in the strife-torn region of Sudan in a week.

"UNAMID strongly condemns these cowardly acts of violence against its peacekeepers and calls on all parties including the Government of Sudan to ensure the safety of UN personnel in the region," a UN spokesperson said in New York.

Approximately eight unknown gunmen opened fire on an escort patrol that was returning to its base in Nyala, South Darfur, wounding one peacekeeper as the blue helmets returned fire in self-defence, spokesperson Marie Okabe said.

The wounded soldier was immediately taken for medical treatment at the mission's hospital in Nyala and later died while being evacuated to Al Fasher for further medical treatment, according to UNAMID.

"These ongoing attacks against UNAMID peacekeepers will not dissuade us from pursuing our mandate in Darfur," AU-UN Joint Representative Rodolphe Adada said.

This is the second time in just over a week that UNAMID peacekeepers have been ambushed by unknown armed men while conducting their duties in Darfur, as concerns mount over the safety of humanitarian workers, many of whom have been ordered to leave the region following the recent indictment of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

On 9 March four peacekeepers were shot and wounded in a patrol that was returning to its base in El Geneina, West Darfur, and, following that incident, a UN spokesperson said that the number of attacks against peacekeeping personnel and incidents of banditry in 2009 to that date had exceeded those for the entirety of 2008.

On the humanitarian front, the Secretary-General is continuing to make telephone calls to leaders in Africa and the Middle East to address the humanitarian situation in Darfur, according to Deputy Spokesperson Okabe.

Sudan decided to begin ejecting 13 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on 4 March, immediately after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Al-Bashir.

An estimated 300,000 people have died and another 3 million have been displaced in the western region of Sudan, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.
________________