Good afternoon,
Secretary-General
The Secretary-General met yesterday with President Al Bashir on the margins of the Arab League Summit. The Secretary-General said in his encounter with the press in Algiers that he had had a good discussion with President Al-Bashir. They discussed the situation in Darfur and the measures that need to be taken to bring the situation under control: the need for the cease fire to be respected by both parties, including the rebels, both parties are to respect the commitments they signed. "We need to make sure there is security for people to go back to their villages to begin preparing for the next crop. We need to insure that the international community stays engaged, not only in the Darfur situation, but also in the implementation of the Naivasha agreements" the Secretary-General said.
They also discussed the UN deployment of troops to southern Sudan to work with the government and the SLPM/A in the implementing of the agreement they signed in Nairobi . The Secretary-General indicated that "we also insist that a political agreement should be reached in Darfur between the rebels and the government, and they did give me the indication that they will work very hard on that, but all of us, the international community and the parties in Sudan , have to work on this".
SRSG
- Following the attack on an International Rescue Committee-US Agency for International Development (USAID)- Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) convoy yesterday in the road between Nyala and Kass (South Darfur) that resulted on the wounding of a member of DART, the SRSG states the following:
He deplores the attack that was clearly an ambush since there is no indication that warning shots were fired before shooting at the convoy. The convoy was attacked despite the fact that cars were clearly marked as humanitarian vehicles. He strongly condemns attacks on INGOs and Humanitarian workers, which ultimate victims are the people to be helped. He is deeply concerned that there is ground now to assume that foreigners are being directly attacked. The United Nations is taking precautious measures to face this situation and has declared the road between Nyala and Kass closed for UN movement until further notice. This road has been closed around the month of February and reopened shortly thereafter because of the compelling necessity to provide humanitarian assistance to the large IDP population in the area. The SRSG believes that these incidents are not likely to stop unless a very robust protection force of at least 8, 000 troops is deployed in Darfur to protect the civilian population and the humanitarian workers and humanitarian deliveries.
- The SRSG is back to Khartoum from his two days working visit to Luxembourg where he met with high EU officials and the EU Ministers of Defense. The main objective of the visit was to mobilize the EU political support and its participation in the forthcoming UN peace support mission as well as the EU support to the AU mission deployed in Darfur .
-The SRSG will be conducting a visit to the Nuba Mountains on 26 and 27 of this month. This visit is part of a series of field visits by the SRSG to the areas where the UN will be playing a role once it deploys its peace support mission.
-The SRSG will be meeting tomorrow with the First Vice-President, Ali Osman Taha. The SRSG will brief the Vice-President on his recent talks in Asmara with the rebels groups of Darfur , SLM/A and JEM as well as with the Beja Congress and the Free Lions from Eastern Sudan .
Security Issues:
- North Darfur: On 18 March, a vehicle belonging to the Government Water, Environment and Sanitation agency (WES) was hijacked in the region of Kafod, about 70 km NW of El Fasher. A passenger who was initially detained was subsequently released but the whereabouts of the driver and the vehicle are unknown.
- South Darfur: Security incidents targeting commercial trucks continue to be reported including an attack on two commercial trucks traveling from Abrum to Kass on 16 March. The perpetrators looted items from the vehicles and reportedly killed one person and injured one. An additional passenger is reported missing.
- In another incident, on 18 March, armed men attacked a passenger bus outside Beliel, which resulted in fighting between the passengers and the attackers. Some of the passengers were reported to have been carrying WFP food ration cards from Kalma camp.
- On 20 March, an INGO team traveling with two vehicles was temporarily detained by militias. The militias reportedly took the staff's communications equipment before releasing them.
- West Darfur: All major roads out of El Geneina town, expect for areas north of Sirba have been cleared for UN movement. However, UN agencies are now required to travel in convoys of four vehicles instead of the usual requirement of two per convoy. The UN continues to assess the threat received by militia that they will be targeting foreigners.
- On 20 March, two national staff members working for an INGO were abducted by unidentified gunmen during an attack on their convoy near Dabanera village, 5 km from Golo in Jebel Mara. Although the staff members were subsequently released later during the day, they reported to have been beaten and looted of their personal items, including money and watches. On the same day, it was reported that guards interrupted two armed men who were attempting to enter an INGO warehouse in Zaleingi. The men shot in the air before fleeing the site.
- Unity State: There has been an increase in reports of the looting of cattle by militias and other unidentified armed groups in remote areas Unity State over the last month. This insecurity could lead to armed clashes between militia groups and civilians.
Protection Issues:
- North Darfur: Agencies commenced identification of IDPs with physical disabilities during the week of 13 March. So far, 77 IDPs have been identified. Agencies hope that this exercise will improve the services provided to these IDPs and address their specific needs.
- South Darfur: The relocation of Kalma IDPs continues to experience delays as agencies are now assessing the appropriateness of Hashaba site, an area indicated by GoS authorities as a possible site. IOM is following up on the issue.
- West Darfur: Protection incidents involving IDPs in Nertiti continue to be reported. In the most recent reports, three women were reportedly abducted by unknown individuals in Nertiti on 12 Mar. Another woman was reportedly shot in the arm in the same area on 16 Mar. The West Darfur Protection Working Group is following-up on this matter with the authorities.
Humanitarian Affairs:
Food/NFIs
- North Darfur: Approximately 200 new households arrived in Abu Shouk between 19 and 21 March. The new arrivals are reportedly from the Korma area and cited insecurity, including lootings by militia, and food shortage as reasons for their displacement. The new arrivals further informed agencies that additional persons were expected to arrive in the camp over the next few days.
- Local authorities have indicated an alternative site to accommodate the approximately 25,000 IDPs that are currently in Abu Shouk camp ( North Darfur ). Agencies hope that the new site will be the final option and would hold adequate and good water sources so that the relocation could be carried out as soon as possible.
- Following a temporary impasse of about three weeks where access to SLA areas in North Darfur was halted due to the absence of a reliable SLA interlocutor to carry out the notification procedure, access resumed after a meeting with a new SLA interlocutor on 18 Mar. The interruption of access to SLA areas over the past couple of weeks appears to have seriously affected the availability of food in Malha. WFP along with its implementing partners are following up on the issue and planning a food distribution for the month of March. A steady stream of new arrivals to Zam Zam camp is affecting the limited water and sanitation sources in the camp. Agencies are investigating the reasons behind the new displacement, suspected to be triggered by food insecurity in the rural areas around the camp. Due to a break in the WFP food pipeline, planned food distributions in some areas of North Darfur for approximately 45,000 beneficiaries have been postponed until further notice.
- During a coordination meeting on 20 March in El Fasher, WFP indicated that insecurity and logistical difficulties are expected to delay food distributions for the month of Mar. This follows a sharp increase in the number of security incidents affecting commercial transports since the beginning of Mar.
- Humanitarian agencies met on 20 March to discuss assistance to nomadic communities in North Darfur and tentatively agreed to conduct an interagency assessment of nomadic communities in rural Kutum between 2 and 4 April. Agencies have agreed to meet after the completion of the assessment for further discussions.
- South Darfur: An interagency team plans to travel to areas west of Ed Daein in Assalaya area to assess humanitarian needs, particularly the food situation, in the coming week.
- Agencies operating in Kalma have commenced planning for the upcoming rainy season expected in May-June to avoid camp flooding, collapse of latrine facilities and potential inaccessibility to the camp (one of the largest camps with a population of approximately 150 thousand IDPs)
- West Darfur: WFP's implementing partner, CARE, plans to complete registration of beneficiaries in Garsila, Deleij, Mukjar, Bindisi, Um Kheir, Zaleingi and Um Dukum during the week of 20 March. The registration in Bindisi on 20 Mar. was temporarily disrupted due to some disruptions by the IDPs.
- Upper Nile: The final report of the Rapid Needs Assessment in Akobo, Jonglei has been released and circulated by the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EP&R). While the findings do not call for immediate action owing to the volatile security environment, the report suggests that if possible, before the start of the rainy season, assistance should be provided together with WFP food aid distribution to the vulnerable resident population in the area. It was recommended that non-food deliveries, including seeds and tools should be distributed to the approximately 2000-3000 returnees and those who may have lost their assets during the militia attack on Akobo in mid-Feb. A registration/tracking system should also be put in place to monitor the influx of returnees from Ethiopia . Tribal differences between Anyuak and Nuer continue and are hindering access to resources. It was recommended that this issue be addressed by the Protection Sector.
- Equatoria: WFP is now sending food to the Ezo and Tambura camps, while the NFIs released by UNICEF have reached Yambio and should be distributed by World Vision. UNICEF is also following with World Vision to address the health needs. FAO promised to give a feedback on seeds and agricultural tools in the first week of April, while UNHCR and UNICEF are looking at rehabilitation of the water points as suggested in the Ezo and Tambura Needs Assessment report.
Health
- North Darfur: A meningitis outbreak has been declared in the State after agencies confirmed four cases in Saraf Umra, three of them during the same week. A total of five laboratory confirmed cases of Meningococcal Meningitis have been reported in the IDP camp of Saraf Omra in North Darfur since 11 January 2005 . According to the WHO, the threshold has been passed and the situation has developed into an outbreak. The total of suspected cases (including unconfirmed cases) is 27, including two deaths within the camp. A micro plan to vaccinate Saraf Omra has been developed and about 160,000 doses of Meningitis trivalent vaccine have been requested from WHO Geneva. WHO provided all laboratory reagent and supplies for the confirmation of the disease together with drugs necessary for case management in all of Sudan 's states.
- South Darfur: Preliminary results from a nutritional survey conducted by Tearfund in four IDP gatherings in the Ed Daein area, including camps in Ed Daein, Khor Omer, El Ferdous and Abu Matariq, indicate Global Malnutrition Rates (GAM) of over 20% and Severe Malnutrition Rates (SAM) of around 4%. Although the results have not yet been confirmed, the initial indications are of concern as they surpass the emergency threshold of around 10% GAM. Lack of food and access to water sources appear to be responsible for the high rates. Agencies operating in Kass reported 10 cases of measles during the week of 23 March. Agencies are advocating for a mass vaccination in the area to the Ministry of Health .
- World Vision (WVI) reports an increase in bloody diarrhoea cases in Duma, one of the camps in Nyala town. WVI along with MoH is conducting laboratory tests to check whether the strain of dysentery is the same one reported during the week in Kalma camp. Agencies in Kalma have responded to the increased cases in Kalma with a mass distribution of soap accompanied with a hygiene campaign and a plan to increase water availability in the camp.
- Unity State: The new hospital in Bentiu has not been in use since it was inaugurated by the President of Sudan on 20 February. The hospital was constructed with funds from local oil companies, and the medical equipment is in place inside the hospital. There is, however, a lack of qualified health personnel in Unity State , and therefore the hospital is not operating. The State Ministry of Health previously stated that it does not have the financial resources to attract the necessary health personnel from outside to work in Unity State . The situation was highlighted by the UN agencies on the ground during the visit of the donor mission.
Returns
- Bahr el Ghazal: Sustainable Returns Team South, with support from the Norwegian liaison office, has been able to move forward on finding a solution to land allocation for some 500 returnees who have been living in an encampment behind the Rumbek hospital since last summer. A decision will be taken by local authorities, SRRC, IDP representatives and local community representatives in a meeting on the 22 March.
- Figures released on the 20 March by OCHA suggest that at approximately 1,500 internally displaced are returning to south Sudan each week. The numbers have been collected through a joint GOS, SPLM, United Nations, IOM, and NGO monitoring and tracking system. Between 12 and 17 Mar., 1,531 returnees traveled through Kosti heading to destinations in South Sudan . A comprehensive tracking and monitoring system is currently being established in places of displacement, major return areas and along return routes.