UN aid boss says Darfur worsening, threats ‘becoming unacceptable’

John Holmes, the United Nations relief boss, said that the humanitarian situation is worsening ‘again this year’, and added that pressure exerted by the Sudanese government at the local and national levels is restricting humanitarian aid. Holmes is the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. He was speaking at the UN Security Council in New York. His remarks were reported by the UN humanarian coordinating agency (OCHA) as follows:”Thank you for this opportunity to supplement the briefing from my [peacekeeping] colleague. The background is that the humanitarian situation in Darfur has been steadily deteriorating again this year, in the context of the resumption of armed conflict involving the State armed forces and rebel groups, as well as increased tribal clashes. The level of restrictions imposed on humanitarian operations, and of harassment, threats and violence directed at humanitarian personnel, is once again becoming unacceptable. All this renders the civilians we are trying to help even more vulnerable.”