Valerie Amos, United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator condemns attacks on civilians
23 May, 2013Khartoum, Sudan (sudanow.info.sd) - The United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, has condemned recent rebel attacks against civilians in North and south Kordufan states.
In a statement she made at the end of her 3-day visit to Sudan, the United Nations official has pointed out that she was choked to hear detailed reports of the recent attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure by the rebel Sudan n Revolutionary Front in Northern Kordufan and parts of South Kordufan. She said the UN condemns attacks on civilians in the strongest terms.
“I was shocked to hear detailed reports of the recent attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure by the Sudan Revolutionary Front in Northern Kordufan and parts of South Kordufan. I condemn these attacks on civilians in the strongest terms” the UN official said in her statement Wednesday.
She pointed out that the purpose of her visit to Sudan was two-fold: first, to look at humanitarian operations in the country; and to work to build trust and confidence so that we are in a stronger position to help meet the humanitarian needs of people in Sudan.
“During the last three days I received a warm welcome and had some very constructive and informative meetings with the President, other senior Government officials in Khartoum and Darfur, as well as with United Nations Member States, UN agencies, NGOs and other humanitarian partners. In all my meetings I have stressed the desire of the international community to assist in meeting the needs of war-affected people in Sudan.” The UN official said.
She pointed out to the several challenges that the Sudan faces including the fighting in Darfur; unresolved conflict in South Kordufan and Blue Nile; rebel attacks that have spread recently to North Kordufan, among others.
She said she was able to visit Darfur and had a chance to see first-hand the humanitarian situation in Darfur. She said the situation in the IDP camps has to be improved. She said she also visited north Darfur areas, where fighting had recently erupted over traditional gold mining.
“I am concerned that despite overall needs increasing, the amount of funding available to us is decreasing. This is for a variety of reasons, including concerns about where we are permitted to go because of the ongoing conflict, competing needs in other countries, and a difficult global economic environment. We have a serious funding crisis in Sudan. We need to attract more funds from our traditional donors, but we also need to expand our partnerships and attract funding from other Governments in the region and elsewhere. “ the UN official argued.
She said the world community could not let Darfur slip off the radar screen of the international community, saying that more people need basic services in the field of health-care, education and other services, the challenges remain enormous.
“We also need to change the way we work. After ten years of major humanitarian operations in Darfur, we need to find more sustainable ways of supporting displaced people who have no other option but to remain in the camps. We need to build stronger bridges between humanitarian and development work. In this regard, I welcome the Darfur Donors Conference which recently saw US$ 3.6 billion in pledges for Darfur, including a commitment of US$ 2.6 billion from the Government of Sudan. “she stressed.
The UN official welcomed the direct talks between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM-N that started in April under the auspices of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel, adding that “I hope the talks will resume soon and that they will lead to a resolution of the conflict so that people can return to their homes and start to rebuild their lives. “
The official has explained that in the meanwhile, the United Nations has called on both the Government and SPLM-N to agree to a one week moratorium in fighting to allow it to carry out a polio vaccination campaign for 150,000 children under the age of five.
“Sudan has recently been declared polio free and leaving pockets of unvaccinated children risks reversing this hard-won status. The vaccines have no military value. Both sides have agreed in principle for the vaccination campaign to go ahead, although the SPLM-N has insisted that it should take place from Kenya or Ethiopia rather than from Sudan. We will be meeting with both sides to try to resolve this issue so that the vaccination campaign can take place quickly, before the rainy season makes the roads impassable.” She stressed.
“Whether it is Darfur, South Kordufan or Blue Nile, what is needed above all else is for the fighting to stop and for the conflicts to be resolved by peaceful means. The people of Sudan have suffered enough. Everyone I have spoken to in Sudan in the last three days has told me that what this country needs now is peace, not more war.” The UN official concluded.
End
MO
Photo of the Week
Everybody alive today came from one African country (The Independent) Ariana Baio Khartoum, Jan.1 (Sudanow)-It is well known that all humans alive today can be traced back to a common ancestor but a study may have found where that ancestor originates. Researchers at the University of Oxford’s Big Data Institute mapped the entirety of genetic relationships among humans t...
More-
01 January, 2023
Phone battery killed nine persons, injured twelve
Zalingei, Jan.1 (Sudanow) - A dispute over a phone battery, in Marin Market, Central Darfur, led to the killing of nine persons and injuring of another twelve. The Director of Central Darfur Police, Salah Omar Al-Tayeb told SUNA last Thursday that main reasons behind the events in Zalingei began with a dispute over a phone battery, where one of the citizens stabbed to death. The police official added that the police forces moved to th...
Contact Us
Address: Sudan News Agency (SUNA) Building, Jamhoria Street, Khartoum - Sudan
Mobile:+249 909220011 / +249 912307547