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KILLINGS
OF HUMANITARIAN WORKERS IN CHAD AND DARFUR CAUSE CONCERN ABOUT
THE FUTURE OF OPERATIONS IN THE REGION, BY CAROLINE PATTON: 01/05/2008
(MaximsNews Network)
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UNITED
NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / - 01
May 2008 --
Over the last several months, several
aid workers have died as a result of the unrest taking place in the two
countries and the UN is worried about the safety of its personnel in the area.
Because of the conflicts that have roiled both
Chad
and
Sudan
, the need for humanitarian assistance is particularly acute so disruption of
operations could have terrible consequences.
Yesterday,
Pascal Marlinge, the Country Director of Save the
Children-UK, was killed in
Chad
en route to Adre in eastern
Chad
. The group of three aid vehicles was attacked by a pair of men carrying guns
and wearing uniforms. Mr. Marlinge was from
France
and the UN has offered its sympathy to his family in the face of their loss.
This is
not the first time such a killing has occurred. Towards the end of 2007, a
driver for UNHCR in
Chad
died after being shot in an attack.
The
UN has spoken out forcefully against the attack that led to the death of Mr.
Marlinge and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes
told the international community that “the targeting of humanitarian workers
who are in
Chad
to help those suffering from civil strife is an inexcusable crime.”
Mr.
Holmes added that “the UN welcomes assurances by the Government of Chad that
this crime will be investigated.”
Mr.
Merlinge’s death comes just over a week after a humanitarian worker died in
Sudan
. A 58- year old driver, on his first run, was killed while distributing much
needed food and supplies in
Darfur
. The worker, Mohammed Makki El Rasheed, left behind six children. This makes
two such deaths there in as many months.
Another
driver died in late March and 60 WFP vehicles have been attacked in 2008, with
the fate 39 of them, and 26 of the drivers, unknown.
These
deaths threaten operations in the region since aid workers face the risk of
being hurt or killed in ambushes like the one that killed Mr. Merlinge. Mr.
Holmes said of today’s attack that “this despicable act is likely to
exacerbate already challenging conditions in which humanitarian workers continue
to provide much-needed relief to those in need.”
The
WFP has already expressed concern to the Government of Sudan about the need to
be able to protect its personnel and that of partner organizations. Already
operations are hampered by strikes on UN trucks that make it difficult to move
food and other necessities. As a result of last week’s killing in
Darfur
, food rations were reduced due to low supplies. The stockpiles of humanitarian
agencies are well below where they should be.
In
order to keep going its work providing for millions of people in
Darfur
, “WFP is calling on all rebel groups and their commanders on the ground to
ensure safety along the roads where they operate, so that humanitarian food
relief can arrive to those who need it.” It has also appealed to the
Government for police to be assigned to go along with humanitarian supply
transports to help prevent attacks.
--Caroline
Patton
Labels:
United
Nations, U.N.
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