French aid organisation shut-down in Darfur

19/03/2014 17:56

The authorities of Central Darfur have announced the closure of the office of a French aid organisation in state capital Zalingei.The government told the local head of the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) it will confiscate all assets by Thursday 20 March, a staff member confirmed to Radio Dabanga. The ACTED properties include several cars, stores and computers. “The government wants ACTED to leave Sudan entirely”, the employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said.On Monday, security officers entered the ACTED compound in Zalingei and ordered the staff to leave the properties within 48 hours, but apparently the ultimatum has been postponed until Thursday. The officials said they were acting on behalf of the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) of Central Darfur, but they did not provide any reason for the closure. Radio Dabanga asked ACTED to comment, but did not yet receive any reply. Early February, the government suspended the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross. ‘Critical time’ ACTED provides support to the displaced people in Zalingei, including water and sanitation for the camps and the surrounding villages before the rain season starts. “At least 50 members of the national staff are employed in the Central Darfur office”, a local staff member said. According to its website, the programme has 83 national staff and 3 internationals working in Sudan. “The action against ACTED comes at a critical time”, the staff member told Radio Dabanga. The war in Darfur has flared up with full scale bombardments in rebel held areas of East Jebel Marra. Tens of thousands of people from the targeted areas have fled to camps for internally displaced people in Zalingei, “where ACTED is amongst the bigger international aid organisations still working”. A coordinator of the Central Darfur camps demanded the international community and the UN Security Council to “put pressure on the Khartoum regime to stop the expulsion of organisations.” “The suspension would deprive displaced people from the services of the organisation”, he told Radio Dabanga. File photo: A camp for internally displaced people in Zalingei, Central Darfur (Radio Dabanga archive) Related: Red Cross suspension ‘death sentence for Darfur’: Omda (3 February 2014)

The authorities of Central Darfur have announced the closure of the office of a French aid organisation in state capital Zalingei.

The government told the local head of the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) it will confiscate all assets by Thursday 20 March, a staff member confirmed to Radio Dabanga. The ACTED properties include several cars, stores and computers. “The government wants ACTED to leave Sudan entirely”, the employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

On Monday, security officers entered the ACTED compound in Zalingei and ordered the staff to leave the properties within 48 hours, but apparently the ultimatum has been postponed until Thursday. The officials said they were acting on behalf of the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) of Central Darfur, but they did not provide any reason for the closure. Radio Dabanga asked ACTED to comment, but did not yet receive any reply.

Early February, the government suspended the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

‘Critical time’

ACTED provides support to the displaced people in Zalingei, including water and sanitation for the camps and the surrounding villages before the rain season starts. “At least 50 members of the national staff are employed in the Central Darfur office”, a local staff member said. According to its website, the programme has 83 national staff and 3 internationals working in Sudan.

“The action against ACTED comes at a critical time”, the staff member told Radio Dabanga. The war in Darfur has flared up with full scale bombardments in rebel held areas of East Jebel Marra. Tens of thousands of people from the targeted areas have fled to camps for internally displaced people in Zalingei, “where ACTED is amongst the bigger international aid organisations still working”.

A coordinator of the Central Darfur camps demanded the international community and the UN Security Council to “put pressure on the Khartoum regime to stop the expulsion of organisations.” “The suspension would deprive displaced people from the services of the organisation”, he told Radio Dabanga.

File photo: A camp for internally displaced people in Zalingei, Central Darfur (Radio Dabanga archive)

Related: Red Cross suspension ‘death sentence for Darfur’: Omda (3 February 2014)