S Darfur State expels Norwegian Refugee Council - Darfur has the world's largest aid operation with 14,000 aid workers

Oh dear, not again. On 5 April 2006 the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Darfur was forced to suspend all aid work in the region after being evicted by the Sudanese authorities.

Excerpt from Sudan Tribune 20 Nov 2006 Sudan decides expulsion of Norwegian humanitarian agency:

South Darfur State has expelled a Norwegian humanitarian organization form working in the region saying it has published a false report on rape cases, and serving foreign agenda.

The Minister of social affairs and information, acting governor of South Darfur State and spokesman of the state government, Farah Mustafa, said that the state government has expelled the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) from the state, affirming that it has received on Monday 20 November a letter on its expulsion form the state.

The minister said in a press conference in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, that NCR has issued a report on occurrence of 80 rape cases in Kalma displaced people camp in the state.

The state government's spokesman pointed out that after establishment of a committee, which includes the AU, the government, organizations and the concerned parties, it was proved that there was no case of rape at the camp. He affirmed that what written report by Norwegian Council was considered false and unfounded and serves foreign agenda, pointing out that the state government has dealt in patience with the violations of NCR.

NCR announced on 10 November the closure of its humanitarian action in Darfur because it had been suspended for two moths without any explanation from the Sudanese authorities. NCR said it was forced to take this decision.

Mustafa pointed out that NCR has been working against the country’s sovereignty, saying that it refused the presence of the state’s senior officials to attend the secretary-general of the UN meeting that it has held in Kalma camp. He said that the Norwegian Refugees Council has been instigating displaced persons not to return home voluntarily.

NCR was providing humanitarian relief to 300.000 IDPs in South Darfur camps: 93.000 in Kalma camp, 19.000 of these, children enrolled in NCR's education program, 128.000 in Gereida camp, 10.000 in Otash camp, 52.000 IDPs receiving food aid in Nyala. Darfur has the world's largest aid operation, with 14,000 aid workers supplying humanitarian help to miserable camps in the region.

In May 2005, two senior members of Medecins Sans Frontieres Holland were arrested charged with espionage and publishing false information after the organisation issued a report detailing hundreds of rape victims they had treated in Darfur hospitals.

It's inconceivable NCR or any other reputable aid agency would falsify reports on rape. Sudanese officials seem in the habit of not giving credence to the testimony of displaced people, especially females. Note the report reminds us Darfur has the world's largest aid operation with 14,000 aid workers.

See 31 May 2006 - Norwegian Refugee Council returns to Darfur after eviction:
http://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2006/05/norwegian-refugee-council-returns-to.html