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| Africa Horn |
| Sudan's expulsion of NGOs puts millions at risk |
| 2009-03-07 |
| UN agencies warned yesterday that Sudan's decision to expel 13 international aid groups will leave more than a million people without food or health care and could threaten thousands of lives. The 13 Non Governmental Organisations, including Save the Children and Doctors without borders (MSF) account for half of the relief aid delivered in the region of Darfur, the UN humanitarian coordinator's office (OCHA) said. They often act as subcontractors to UN agencies delivering official international relief aid, especially to some 4.7 million people affected by strife in Darfur, including 2.7 million displaced. "If the government does not reconsider its position, with the departure of the NGOs 1.1 million people will be without food, 1.5 million people will be without health care and more than one million without drinking water," OCHA spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs told journalists. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights indicated that it would be examining whether the deprivation of aid in a conflict area might constitute violations of international law or war crimes. "Certainly we will be looking into that, evidently, but I can't pronounce a position at this point," said Rupert Colville, a spokesman for the High Commissioner Navi Pillay in response to a question on the issue. Colville said Sudan's decision to expel the NGOs "could threaten the lives of thousands of people". Sudan earlier this week ordered the expulsion of the 13 NGOs it accused of helping the International Criminal Court issue an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Beshir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Meanwhile, the United States and other countries are urging Sudan to reverse its decision to expel aid groups who help vulnerable populations throughout the country, a US official said Thursday. US officials are expressing deep concern that, if carried out, the order "could prompt a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions in Sudan," according to US State Department acting deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid. "A number of countries are trying to convince the Sudanese government to reconsider this action," Duguid told reporters. "The United States is one of them." Duguid, who did not identify the other countries, said the United States was pressing its case "both on the ground (in Khartoum) and in New York," where the United Nations is based. Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations, John Lueth Ukec, has accused some aid agencies of spreading "lies" among the population as well as having "fabricated" reports. Duguid said the expulsion decision "seems to me to be against Sudan's own interest and is certainly not helpful to the people who need aid in the country. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 Gaza: Spring Break, Volume I. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2009-03-07 18:07 |
| #3 So they issue this meaningless arrest warrant that they have no hope of ever enforcing and then they wonder why the guy expels the NGOs thereby making a bad situation even worse. They kick Uncle Sam in the shorts for taking action against dictator Saddam and then they wonder who is going to do anything about al-Beshir? Cause meet effect. Dumbasses. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2009-03-07 13:25 |
| #2 More likely, they'll all be coming to Minneapolis. |
| Posted by: Danielle 2009-03-07 12:47 |
| #1 They'll probably all come to Gaza now. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-03-07 01:41 |