Insecurity delaying aid for Darfur displaced: OCHA

26/07/2013 19:59

Logistical and security challenges are delaying vital relief supplies destined for the newly displaced of Umm Dukhun in the extreme south of Central Darfur state. In the latest bulletin from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), relief organisations report that supplies for Umm Dukhun in Central Darfur are languishing in Zalingei and El Geneina, capitals of Central and West Darfur. Most commercial transporters in the area are not willing to go to Umm Dukhun citing insecurity on the roads. According to the report, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has emergency shelter and non-food relief supplies for an estimated 6,000 people awaiting shipment to Umm Dukhun. About 12,000 people are believed to have been displaced from various parts of Umm Dukhun locality into Umm Dukhun town following fighting between the Misseriya and Salamat tribes that started in the area in April 2013. Inter-tribal hostilities continue to flare-up throughout Central Darfur – for much of this week, Garsila was the centre of Misseriya – Salamat tension. In addition, the international NGO International Medical Corps (IMC) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have assorted medical and nutrition supplies to be delivered to Umm Dukhun, however an inter-agency road mission scheduled to depart Zalingei for Umm Dukhun on 21 July was reportedly postponed due to security and logistics challenges. The OCHA report says that discussions are underway with Unamid to airlift some critical supplies from Zalingei and El Geneina to Umm Dukhun. The international NGOs Triangle Génération Humanitaire (TGH) and Tearfund continue activities aimed at providing safe water to the newly displaced in Umm Dukhun town, while the World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that it too plans to distribute food to all newly displaced people in Umm Dukhun town soon.On 16 July, the WFP announced that the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) has donated €17 million to support WFP activities in Sudan, especially in the conflict-affected states of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan. File photo: WFP food distribution in Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related: One killed, four injured in renewed tribal violence in Central Darfur (25 July 2013)

Logistical and security challenges are delaying vital relief supplies destined for the newly displaced of Umm Dukhun in the extreme south of Central Darfur state.

In the latest bulletin from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), relief organisations report that supplies for Umm Dukhun in Central Darfur are languishing in Zalingei and El Geneina, capitals of Central and West Darfur. Most commercial transporters in the area are not willing to go to Umm Dukhun citing insecurity on the roads.

According to the report, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has emergency shelter and non-food relief supplies for an estimated 6,000 people awaiting shipment to Umm Dukhun. About 12,000 people are believed to have been displaced from various parts of Umm Dukhun locality into Umm Dukhun town following fighting between the Misseriya and Salamat tribes that started in the area in April 2013. Inter-tribal hostilities continue to flare-up throughout Central Darfur – for much of this week, Garsila was the centre of Misseriya – Salamat tension.

In addition, the international NGO International Medical Corps (IMC) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have assorted medical and nutrition supplies to be delivered to Umm Dukhun, however an inter-agency road mission scheduled to depart Zalingei for Umm Dukhun on 21 July was reportedly postponed due to security and logistics challenges. The OCHA report says that discussions are underway with Unamid to airlift some critical supplies from Zalingei and El Geneina to Umm Dukhun.

The international NGOs Triangle Génération Humanitaire (TGH) and Tearfund continue activities aimed at providing safe water to the newly displaced in Umm Dukhun town, while the World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that it too plans to distribute food to all newly displaced people in Umm Dukhun town soon.

On 16 July, the WFP announced that the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) has donated €17 million to support WFP activities in Sudan, especially in the conflict-affected states of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

File photo: WFP food distribution in Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid)

Related:

One killed, four injured in renewed tribal violence in Central Darfur (25 July 2013)