---------- Sent from my Nokia phone
------Original message------ From: IRIN <[email protected]> To: "Elisabeth Janaina" <[email protected]> Date: Friday, February 8, 2013 11:17:25 AM GMT-0000 Subject: Call for humanitarian access after clashes in North Darfur Call for humanitarian access after clashes in North Darfur KHARTOUM, 8 February 2013 (IRIN) - The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is calling for better access to tens of thousands of people displaced by recent inter-tribal fighting in gold-mining areas of Sudan's North Darfur State. "UNMAID urges all the parties to allow it to do its assigned mission in the area - and all other areas in Darfur - relating to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and undertaking its responsibility in protecting the civilians, according to its mandate [from] the Security Council that relates to protecting the civilians and delivering humanitarian aid," Aicha Elbasri, UNAMID spokesperson, told IRIN. The fighting broke out in early January between Northern Reizegat and Beni Hussein tribesmen over control of gold mines in the Jebel Amir area. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [ http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA%20Sudan%20Weekly%20Humanitarian%20Bulletin%20Issue%2004%20%2821-27%20Jan%202013%29.pdf ], at least 100,000 people have been displaced or severely affected by the fighting, which left more than 100 dead. "It is unclear at this stage how long the people displaced from the Jebel Amir area are likely to remain displaced. The area is still insecure and over 120 villages have been destroyed," OCHA's public information and reports officer in Khartoum, Damian Rance, told IRIN. Though the access has been hindered by the continuing insecurity, humanitarian agencies have managed to deliver over 600 tons of food to affected communities. But they have not been able to conduct comprehensive assessment missions to gauge the exact scale of the need. Tension high In the locality of El Sireaf, where Jebel Amir is located, the government estimates 65,000 people have been affected. Education has also been disrupted as the displaced have taken refuge in schools. Some of the displaced came to the town with their animals, and there is concern about insufficient pasture and health risks posed by animal deaths. The International Organization for Migration [ http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home/news-and-views/press-briefing-notes/pbn-2013/pbn-listing/migrant-workers-who-fled-fightin.html ] has also reported that labour migrants from neighbouring Chad were caught up in the fighting and forced to flee back to their homes and to West Darfur State; the organization raised the alarm over 1,500 "destitute migrants" without shelter or assistance. Although the government was able to bring the fighting under control within days, tension in the area remains high and recent media reports indicate that the fallout from the clashes continues; the Darfur-based Radio Dabanga [ http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/42746 ] reported on 6 February that some 16,000 newly displaced people had arrived in the North Darfur towns of Kabkabiya and Saraf Omra following threats by rival tribal militias. Many of the displaced are living on the streets with no humanitarian support; Radio Dabanga reported [ http://www.radiodabanga.org/node/42570 ] that authorities in Saraf Omra had allowed humanitarian access to the displaced, but Kabkabiya remained closed off. Amnesty International [ http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/darfur-government-forces-involved-gold-mine-attacks-2013-01-30-0 ] has urged the Sudanese government to investigate reports that security officers were involved in the clashes. Spokesperson Elbasri said UNAMID had not been able to independently verify the claim that government forces were involved in the fighting; IRIN was unable to contact Sudanese authorities for comment. The two communities signed a government-brokered peace agreement on 17 January, and state authorities continue to mediate a long-term solution to resource-sharing in the area. aei/kr/rz [END] This report online: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportID=97434 © IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.irinnews.org/ [This item comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations or its Member States. Reposting or reproduction, with attribution, for non-commercial purposes is permitted. Terms and conditions: http://www.irinnews.org/copyright IRIN partners: UAE, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the IHC. More information: http://www.irinnews.org/donors This mail is from an automatic address. Contact IRIN at: [email protected]. Revise/stop your subscription: http://bit.ly/9nCoUP ] Subscribed email: [email protected] -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
