EU concerned about Sudan’s closure of Tearfund

The ambassadors of the resident EU Embassies and Norway in Khartoum expressed their concerns about the closure of the UK-based Tearfund organisation by the Sudanese authorities, particularly because no details about the reasons for the decision have been given.

On 14 December, security officers raided the Tearfund offices in Nierteti, Central Darfur, and ordered them closed “until further notice”.

The Christian INGO stated on 16 December that it was “actively seeking the Sudanese government’s direction on how to proceed in order to resume humanitarian activities”.

In a press statement on 13 January, Tearfund announced “with extreme disappointment that we have now received notification from the government that our work in Sudan is to be closed down”.

The ambassadors are “particularly concerned as there has been no official communication from the Government of Sudan giving details about the reasons for this decision – despite several recent requests from the EU and other donors”.

Nutrition

“It is worthwhile remembering that Tearfund has helped more than 300,000 people with life-saving nutrition services and provision of emergency response,” the statement reads.

“The Ambassadors urge the Government of Sudan to continue ensuring that humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people in Sudan be guaranteed, in order to save lives and secure livelihoods.”

Tearfund has worked in Darfur since 2004.