NAIROBI, 10 November (IRIN): The international humanitarian organisation Norwegian Refugee Council (Norsk Flygtningehjelp) has closed down its relief operations in Darfur, western Sudanese, a move it said will affect 300.000 internally displaced persons (IDPs-hjemstavnsfordrevne) in the troubled region.
– We have been suspended by the government for the last two months for no clear reason, Astrid Sehl, NRC media and communications officer said on Friday.
– We have tried to get into dialogue with the authorities to discuss whether we can come back, but they do not seem interested, added she.
The IDPs who have been receiving protection and humanitarian aid from the NRC include some 93.000 in Kalma, of whom 19.000 are children enrolled in an education programme and 128.000 in Gereida. Both camps are in South Darfur State.
Others are 10.000 in Otash and 52.000 who have been receiving food aid in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur State. Otash camp has recently seen the arrival of more IDPs as a result of continuing violence.
The NRC said working conditions in Darfur had become impossible.
– The frequent disruption of our humanitarian work, such as suspension for a sum total of 210 days, is forcing us to take this very difficult decision, Tomas C. Archer, the Secretary-General, who recently met authorities in South Darfur and Khartoum, said in a statement.
It was not possible to get a comment from the Sudanese authorities. Before the closure, NRCs activities in South Darfur had been put on hold for two months, the fifth suspension since mid 2004.
The NRCs announcement comes at a time that aid workers and IDPs in the region are working and living in an increasingly hostile environment.
A UN spokesman said Tuesday that armed militia had continued to attack civilians, burn houses and destroy crops daily in Darfur, while targeting NGO workers who were trying to assist an estimated two million people displaced by the violence.
– The militias are still active in Darfur, Rhadia Achouri, spokesperson for the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) told IRIN Wednesday, adding: – They are still roaming around and their activities have continued unabated (uforstyrret), threatening the lives of civilians and worsening the situation.
Talking about the dangers to humanitarian workers given the continuing violence, Rhadia said: – The risks are high in the areas where they operate. They are targeted for looting, etc, but they are holding the fort admirably.
Scores of tens of thousands of people are estimated to have died in Darfur as a result of the conflict between government forces, allied militias and rebels seeking greater autonomy for the region.
Kilde: FN-bureauet IRINnews
