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Subj:
Sudan Infonet
Date: 11/9/00 12:01:11 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: SudanInfonet
Subj: HORN OF AFRICA: IRIN Update [2001107]
Date: 11/7/00 8:40:57 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: irin@ocha.unon.org (IRIN)
HORN OF AFRICA: IRIN Update, 7 November 2000
CONTENTS:
SUDAN: UN envoy bemoans ceasefire collapses
SUDAN: Church criticises government bombing campaign
SUDAN: UN envoy bemoans ceasefire collapses
Ambassador Tom Eric Vraalsen, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special
Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan, has criticised "the collapse
of
the unilateral humanitarian ceasefires" in Sudan which had been in
effect
since July 1998. Vraalsen, who chaired a meeting of the Technical
Committee on Humanitarian Assistance (TCHA) in Geneva late last week,
expressed displeasure during the meeting at the cessation of the
ceasefires, and noted the loss of life and damage to property from
war-related ground and air offensives. He said they had resulted in
large-scale displacements of civilian populations, "bringing further
misery to a people who can barely meet their basic needs", according
to a
final statement from the meeting. Vraalsen also urged the parties to
consider establishing an independent Grievance Committee, noting that such
a body could reinforce adherence to ceasefires and build confidence.
During the Geneva meeting, the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's
Liberation Movement (SPLM), parties to the conflict in the Sudan, agreed
to establish a cross-line road corridor from Kenya to southern Sudan, in
order to ensure secure delivery of relief aid to affected Sudanese
populations, a UN press release stated on Monday. The agreement to link
Lokichoggio in northern Kenya to Kapoeta in southeastern Sudan was reached
during this the fourth meeting of the TCHA, held in Geneva from 2-3
November. The participants unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to the
principle of unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in
need, and acknowledged the importance of the national campaign to
vaccinate children against polio, following an appeal by Vraalsen, the
final communique stated.
SUDAN: Church criticises government bombing campaign
The Catholic Information Office for Sudan on Friday reported that Torit
district, near the Kenyan border, was the latest target of government air
bombardments which had seen the air force drop 60 bombs in 10 days. These
attacks were directed at civilian structures, including schools,
hospitals, churches and cultural facilities, in Nimule, Ikotos, Ngaluma
and now Torit, a press release by the Church office stated. The government
had generated population displacement, created "a climate of
fear" and
blocked the progress of projects to stabilise the population, restore
their confidence and involve them in longer-term development. The Office
called for a ban on military planes flying over South Sudan, and demanded
the presence of UN observers to monitor the Sudanese conflict.
END
[IRIN-CEA: Tel: +254 2 622147 Fax: +254 2 622129 e-mail: irin-cea@ocha.unon.org
]
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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000
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