Darfur - A Continuing Crisis

The Darfur crisis continues. The UN estimates that in total over 200,000 people have been killed, more than two million driven from their homes to live in camps, and over three million directly affected by the conflict.

There were hopes that the Darfur Peace Agreement signed in Abuja in May 2006, would bring some peace to the region and permit the process of rehabilitation and recovery to start.

Unfortunately this has not happened and the humanitarian environment has deteriorated steadily, with continuing sporadic violence leading to new displacements. In the first three months of 2007, a further 107,000 people were displaced by renewed fighting between the various armed groups.

The violence has also spread across the border into Chad and there is a clear risk of a regional conflict breaking out. In this extremely difficult situation, it has become even more important to sustain a humanitarian operation in response to the needs of the most vulnerable people. The humanitarian community continues to face serious challenges in reaching those in greatest need, not only from the remoteness and difficulty of the terrain, but also from targeted attacks on aid agencies, especially vehicles. A staff member of the ACT-Caritas team was killed in June.

In May, upon hearing reports that villagers had been forced from their homes in and around Edd el Fursan, by attacks or for fear of attack, UN agencies and ACT-Caritas carried out an assessment mission in the area.

“One village was completely empty,” said Simon Egadu, ACT-Caritas Emergency Preparedness and Response Coordinator, who participated in the mission.

“On Saturday, we were attacked by people with guns riding in three land cruiser vehicles, and on horses and camels,” said one villager.

All the other villagers reported the same sequence of events. The inhabitants of the villages now gather their families under trees in a nearby town. Some men and children had poorly bandaged wounds, from bullets that had gone right through a limb as they ran away.

“When we were attacked, we just ran in any direction. I have lost a child and my sister. I have not seen them for ten days now,” said one woman, weeping.

The local authorities initially provided some basic assistance with food. But the displaced fear that if organisations help them by providing water, cooking utensils, blankets or other essential items, the armed militias will be tempted to attack and try to steal anything they have.

In the words of Mr Egadu: “Protection is a critical issue. The people are in fear. Armed men are moving around just some five kilometres away from them, and there are threats that they will be attacked again.”

On a note of hope, the African Union and UN recently announced that Sudan has now finally agreed to accept hybrid peace-keeping forces. Details still need to be worked out, especially on their mandate. However, although the forces cannot bring peace without political settlement, and deployment will take time, this does raise hopes for a comprehensive ceasefire respected by all parties, and for an inclusive peace process.

Take Action! Email the Foreign Secretary David Miliband and call for peace.

September 2007