UN-AU PEACEKEEPING FORCE CARRIES OUT ANTI-BANDITRY PATROLS IN DARFUR

In spite of the overall calm security situation, the United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region is continuing its patrols in the face of banditry activities.

The military forces and police of the mission, known as UNAMID, have conducted dozens of patrols in and around villages sheltering internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Sudanese police reported renewed fighting between two tribes over a disputed water point last week.

UNAMID has been distributing 45,000 litres of water a day to the Zam Zam camp, which continues to receive new waves of IDPs. Distributions began on 11 March to support non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to help those who have just arrived at the camp.

The mission intends to continue its distributions – which total nearly 500,000 litres to date – until a long-term solution is found.

For its part, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), in conjunction with aid partners and the Government of Sudan, has dug nine shallow wells and drilled three boreholes as water sources for the Zam Zam camp.

Sudan decided to suspend 13 NGOs on 4 March, immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir for alleged war crimes. The operations of three national NGOs have also been suspended.

In a letter sent to the leaders of the so-called Group of 20 (G20) nations ahead of their summit next week, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his concerns about the expulsion of the aid groups, which assist nearly five million Darfurians in need, over half of whom are IDPs.

Addressing the General Assembly in an informal meeting today, Mr. Ban said that in the wake of the Government's decision to expel the NGOs, the UN and Sudanese authorities have agreed to assess the situation in three states in Darfur to identify aid gaps. He stressed that capacity on the ground is insufficient to sustain relief activities in both the short and medium term.

Last week, a senior UN humanitarian official called on the Government to respect existing agreements and its own laws on the operation of relief groups in Darfur, with the ousting of the 13 aid agencies resulting in "significant" threats to the dependent population.

"We want to engage in transparent and productive dialogue with the Government based on these laws and agreements," Rashid Khalikov, Director of the New York section of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the Security Council.

He noted with additional concern that on 15 March, Mr. Al-Bashir spoke of the possible departure of all foreign humanitarian organizations in Sudan in a year's time, even if the violence and displacement in Darfur continues.

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. Around 4.7 million people in the region depend on lifesaving aid.

Mr. Khalikov said the expulsion of the 13 organizations had been followed by an increase in violence against UNAMID and aid groups, along with the seizure of humanitarian assets by the Government.

In a related development, Major General Pagan Jung Thapa, Force Commander of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), visited UNAMID headquarters yesterday to meet with his UNAMID counterpart, General Martin Luther Agwai, and with AU-UN Joint Representative Rodolphe Adada to discuss issues of cooperation and collaboration.
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UN RELIEF OFFICIAL CALLS ON SUDAN TO RESPECT HUMANITARIAN AID AGREEMENTS

UN RELIEF OFFICIAL CALLS ON SUDAN TO RESPECT HUMANITARIAN AID AGREEMENTS
New York, Mar 20 2009 6:00PM

A top United Nations humanitarian official today urged the Government of Sudan to respect existing agreements and its own laws on the operation of relief groups in strife-torn Darfur, 13 of which have been ousted, resulting, he said, in "significant" threats to the dependent population.

"We want to engage in transparent and productive dialogue with the Government based on these laws and agreements," Rashid Khalikov, Director of the New York section of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the Security Council.

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

Mr. Khalikov noted with additional concern that on 15 March, Mr. Bashir spoke of the possible departure of all foreign humanitarian organizations in Sudan in a year's time, even if the violence and displacement in Darfur continues.

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. Around 4.7 million people in the region depend on lifesaving aid.

"As the conflict continues, and as many parts of Darfur continue to be unstable, or are under the influence of the rebel groups, the work of the United Nations and its partners will continue to be vital in helping Sudanese citizens affected by conflict receive the aid to which they have the right," Mr. Khalikov said.

Unfortunately, the ability to provide that aid has been seriously compromised by the decisions of the Government Sudan, he added, citing a new "atmosphere of fear and uncertainty facing all aid
organizations."

He said the expulsion of the 13 organizations had been followed by an increase in violence against the UN-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and aid groups, along with the seizure of humanitarian assets by the Government.

The official urged the Government to end those practices, to minimize its rhetoric against foreigners and to ensure the safety and security of all UN and associated staff. He also called on armed groups in Darfur to take active steps to ensure the safety of UN and NGO staff.

"We must find a way to decrease tensions and ensure the timely and sustainable provision of protection and humanitarian assistance, based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, and impartiality," he stressed.

Mr. Khalikov said that much more would be known about the impact of the aid groups' ouster when the outcome of a joint assessment mission undertaken by the Government of Sudan and the UN is made public on 22 March.

It is already known, however, that a dangerous situation has arisen due to the absence of anyone able to carry out immunizations to prevent the spread of a meningitis outbreak in the Jebel Mara and Kalma refugee camps, he noted.

The assessments concentrated on four life-saving sectors: water, sanitation, and hygiene; health and nutrition, food aid; and non-food items and shelter, he said.

At the same time, he stated, the UN has continued to advocate, at all levels, for a reversal of the expulsion decision, and the Secretary-General has been in close contact with Arab and African leaders and members of the Council.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced it has started a one-time food distribution which will provide two months' worth of food rations for 1.1 million beneficiaries, organized through existing food distribution committees in each of the three Darfur States.
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