Darfur: U.N. Sudan Situation Report 4 April 2005

The following is a copy in full of an email received this morning giving the latest situation report by United Nations personnel on the ground in Sudan:

Key Developments:

SRSG Pronk met with Foreign Minister Mustafa on 3 April to exchange views on the recently adopted Security Council Resolutions (1590, 1591 and 1593). The meeting clarified some of the questions raised by the Government, including issues related to Darfur.

A UNHCR mission to Tine, west Darfur, found that some 300 persons had returned from Chad rather than the 6,000 which has been repeatedly stated by the GoS.

Security Issues:

North Darfur: Some 800 IDPs from the Abu Shouk camp staged a demonstration, protesting the continuing insecurity and high level of rapes around the camp, claiming that the organizations responsible are not properly executing their mandate. IDPs were throwing stones at GoS soldiers while marching. OCHA and UNMIS representatives addressed the situation meeting with representatives of the demonstration, explaining the roles and responsibilities of the various actors operating in the location. Despite the large crowd the situation remained under control with no injuries reported. Cooperation between UN and AMIS was good throughout.

A demonstration took place this morning in El Fasher, organised by students from the University of El Fasher in support of the GoS to protest against the UN, specifically the SCR 1593. A similar peaceful demonstration has taken place in Nyala.

South Darfur: On 2 Apr., a group of armed tribesmen entered several sections of the Kalma camp throughout the day, harassing the camp population. The local police, claiming no evidence of wrongdoing, did not take any action against the group. At around 1400 hrs the AU CivPol decided to intervene after requests from humanitarian organizations and the armed men left the camp.

The Nyala town police continue to demand 'incentives' in the forms of fuel and food for carrying out security patrols around IDP gatherings in the area, despite a clear understanding that this is the responsibility of the GoS.
In the reporting period, tension and sporadic violence continued between rebels and Arab militia north of Ed Daein town in the areas around Muhajarija. However, intensity has decreased in the last days.

West Darfur: All roads north of El Geneina have resumed status as GO areas. Similarly, the NMRD has assured that all areas under their control are safe for UN and humanitarian travel.
A spiritual leader from the Leek clan was killed on 3 April in Bentiu by an unknown assailant. This has led to tension in the town between the Leek and Bul clans.

The security situation in Juba remains calm with no new reports of LRA activities in the past three days. However, a UN chartered plane bringing fuel to Juba was shot at on 2 April. The incident happened north of Juba while the plane was approaching the airport. It is not known who is responsible for the shooting.

Protection Issues:

West Darfur: Four women collecting firewood outside the Hamidiya camp were attacked by armed men. Three women were abducted while one managed to flee. OCHA and the AU were informed. Three were later released, one reported she had been raped, a claim which was backed by the subsequent medical examination. Reportedly, the HAC instructed the police to arrest the culprit but no information has surfaced as to whether this has taken place.

Humanitarian Affairs:

Food/NFIs

South Darfur: The INGO Tearfund has publicized preliminary findings from a nutritional survey conducted in the Ed Daein locality, carried out together with UNICEF, SUDO and the MoH from 14-18 Mar. The results reveal alarming malnutrition rates among children under five, with GAM of 25.2 and SAM of 4.3, the former being well above the emergency threshold. Various issues have affected the food-security situation the area with insecurity being the key factor influencing harvests, population displacements, access and availability of health care, as well as water and sanitation facilities.

Prevalence of diarrhoea across the state is also a serious concern, especially in Ed Daein. Occurrences increased with severity of malnutrition with 86% of severely malnourished children reported having had diarrhoea in the past 2 weeks. Less than 20% of families reported having soap available in the household.

Tearfund is planning to conduct a one month blanket feeding to all children under five in the IDP camps Khor Omer, El Firdous, El Neem, Abu Matariq and Abu Jabra, to be followed by targeted feeding to moderately malnourished and pregnant/lactating mothers for host and IDP populations together with out and in-patient therapeutic feeding to severely malnourished under 5, using Community-based Therapeutic Care (CTC) protocols to commence as soon as possible.

West Darfur: Interagency assessments are scheduled to go to Tendelti and Um Shalaya on 4 and 7 Apr., respectively. Medair is working in both locations and will participate in the assessment together with WFP, OCHA, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO Medair reports that Um Shalaya, a non-displaced village northeast of Mornei, has only harvested 30% of its normal harvest and that their food needs will soon become acute.

GAA began distributing seeds (sorghum, maize, millet, cowpeas and rice) to IDPS in Rubkona to avoid delays before the onset of the rainy season.

Water and Sanitation

North Darfur: A WES/UNICEF geophysical survey identified three possible sites in the Gallab IDP camp for increasing water pumps in the location responding to an inter-agency assessment in February which found that the population of reportedly 14,000 IDPs is sharing two hand-pumps with limited capacity to cover their needs. The deployment of a drilling-rig to commence boring will take place shortly.

Assessments

North Darfur: An inter-agency assessment to the Arab Damrats in the Kutum administrative unit is currently taking place, expected to return to El Fasher on 4 Apr.

West Darfur: On 29-30 Mar., UNHCR conducted a mission to Tine to investigate reports of a recent returnee influx. The mission found that there were 250-300 people who had returned from Chad, not 6,000 as has repeatedly been stated by the local authorities. The GoS is said to be providing them with food and NFIs. UNHCR will follow up on their assistance needs. The town remains largely uninhabited, notwithstanding GoS claims that several thousand people have returned to the area. A local branch of the GoS Compensation Committee has been formed and is reportedly processing 500 cases. Officials said that the Committee members are currently in Khartoum collecting funds to distribute to claimants. UNHCR will monitor the progress of this initiative.

FAO and WFP conducted an agricultural survey in Kosti and Al-Jebalain during the past three days. The mission has also been informed about IDPs in Al-Jebalain that included 350 households in Al-Jebalain Town, 40 households in Makhalief, 70 households in Um Kwika and 120 houseolds in the extension area of Sheluk.

A team of enumerators from HAC, ADRA and OCHA who travelled from Kosti are attending a training session arranged by IOM in Khartoum. The enumerators will be participating in the surveys which were agreed upon by HAC, UNHCR, OCHA, IOM and other agencies in Khartoum and would be carried out sometime in April 2005.

The Deputy Humanitarian Aid Commissioner met with OCHA to request international agencies to conduct an assessment of the humanitarian situation in Galashal, southeast of Malakal on the Sobat river corridor between Baliet and Ulang. GoS police/ military forces moved around 200 families from Ulang to Galashal on 14 March due to tribal fighting between Nuer Jukany and Louu factions. GoS said that the measure was taken for the families' safety and to calm the situation. The Deputy Commissioner now claims there are 1500 people in the area. WFP wrote a letter to HAC on 18 March requesting clarification of the matter. WFP and OCHA are yet to receive a response.