Statement attributable to the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Mr Ali Al-Za'tari, on increasing violence and displacement in Darfur

KHARTOUM, Sudan, March 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari, has expressed his deep concern at increasing violence in Darfur, as tens of thousands of people continue to be displaced from their homes. Since the beginning of 2014, over 200,000 people in Darfur have been displaced. Mr. Al-Za’tari feels extremely saddened by the continuous loss of human life, mostly civilians not associated with the conflict.

“Civilians are those most deeply affected by renewed hostilities in Darfur”, said Mr. Al-Za’tari. “Insecurity and other impediments have prevented aid agencies from reaching many affected people in active conflict areas, but we do know that many people are suffering. The scale of this new displacement is also stretching the ability of aid agencies, national and international, to deliver basic services to those in need, especially in Darfur’s camps where there is already a shortage of capacity amongst aid agencies,” he said.

“The increasingly challenging and protracted nature of the crisis in Darfur has led to a nearly two-thirds reduction in the number of aid workers, from some 18,000 in early 2009 to 6,800 aid workers in late 2013, making the effective delivery of aid more difficult. However, more than at any point since the Darfur crisis started a decade ago, the people of Darfur need the immediate support of the humanitarian community. All parties to the conflict in Darfur need to put the interest of innocent civilians ahead of other narrow interests. This means allowing aid agencies to deliver assistance to those vulnerable people who need it most immediately without delay or hindrance, and reaching an agreement that allows the people of Darfur to live in peace,” said Mr. Al-Za’tari.