Sudan’s authorities prevent UN-EU visit to North Darfur camp
The displaced people living in Zamzam camp, North Darfur, have accused the authorities of being behind the cancellation of an international delegation’s visit to the camp on Wednesday. The team had the purpose to determine the conditions of the 18,800 newly displaced people living there. The state authorities “strongly advised the delegation of UN and European Union officials not to visit Zamzam camp because of security reasons”, according to the head of the delegation. A displaced person told Radio Dabanga: “The authorities want to conceal facts, and prevent the international community from identifying the militias’ acts of murder, rape, looting and arson against the citizens living north-east of Kutum town, west of El Fasher city, in East Jebel Marra and west Mellit.” In addition, the influx of newly displaced people following the eruption of violence in the state grows steadily. More than 150,000 displaced people live in Zamzam camp, near El Fasher city. Authorities cancel accessThe ambassador of the European Union to Khartoum, Tomas Ulicny, who led the UN-EU delegation, revealed on Thursday that they “cancelled the visit because of the advise that we cannot visit the camp near El Fasher owing to insecurity.” The coordinator of the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Damian Rance, has confirmed this. The delegation was supposed to assess the camp’s situation on the ground and meet with local officials. Ali El Za’tari, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, and European diplomats were scheduled to visit Zamzam on Wednesday. A sheikh of the camp told Radio Dabanga last month that the Sudanese security forces denied representatives from Unamid and Unicef access to Zamzam on 26 March. The UN agencies intended to assess the conditions of the newly displaced. Need for aid The displaced people described North Darfur State Governor Osman Kibir’s statement, saying that the camp is unsafe, as “a lie and misleading the international delegation and the public opinion”. They had completed their preparations to receive the international delegation at 10am on Wednesday, along with a memorandum including a list of the urgent demands of the newly displaced persons: shelter, food, water, medicines and cover. File photo: Peacekeeper near Zamzam camp, North Darfur (Unamid) Related: ‘Sudan security denies Unamid and Unicef access to North Darfur camp’: sheikh (31 March 2014)
The displaced people living in Zamzam camp, North Darfur, have accused the authorities of being behind the cancellation of an international delegation’s visit to the camp on Wednesday. The team had the purpose to determine the conditions of the 18,800 newly displaced people living there.
The state authorities “strongly advised the delegation of UN and European Union officials not to visit Zamzam camp because of security reasons”, according to the head of the delegation.
A displaced person told Radio Dabanga: “The authorities want to conceal facts, and prevent the international community from identifying the militias’ acts of murder, rape, looting and arson against the citizens living north-east of Kutum town, west of El Fasher city, in East Jebel Marra and west Mellit.” In addition, the influx of newly displaced people following the eruption of violence in the state grows steadily. More than 150,000 displaced people live in Zamzam camp, near El Fasher city.
Authorities cancel access
The ambassador of the European Union to Khartoum, Tomas Ulicny, who led the UN-EU delegation, revealed on Thursday that they “cancelled the visit because of the advise that we cannot visit the camp near El Fasher owing to insecurity.” The coordinator of the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Damian Rance, has confirmed this.
The delegation was supposed to assess the camp’s situation on the ground and meet with local officials. Ali El Za’tari, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, and European diplomats were scheduled to visit Zamzam on Wednesday.
A sheikh of the camp told Radio Dabanga last month that the Sudanese security forces denied representatives from Unamid and Unicef access to Zamzam on 26 March. The UN agencies intended to assess the conditions of the newly displaced.
Need for aid
The displaced people described North Darfur State Governor Osman Kibir’s statement, saying that the camp is unsafe, as “a lie and misleading the international delegation and the public opinion”.
They had completed their preparations to receive the international delegation at 10am on Wednesday, along with a memorandum including a list of the urgent demands of the newly displaced persons: shelter, food, water, medicines and cover.
File photo: Peacekeeper near Zamzam camp, North Darfur (Unamid)
Related: ‘Sudan security denies Unamid and Unicef access to North Darfur camp’: sheikh (31 March 2014)
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