Sudan gov't suspends work of Save the Children UK

From Save the Children Alliance 04 Mar 2009
Save the Children's response to being asked to suspend operations in Sudan

Ken Caldwell, Save the Children UK's director of international operations, said:

"Save the Children UK has received a letter from the Sudanese authorities asking us to suspend our operations in Sudan. This has very worrying implications for the 50,000 children we are currently supporting in Khartoumand the north-east of the country. These are some of Sudan's most vulnerable children - many are living in camps having been forced to flee their homes by the ongoing conflict.

"Save the Children UK is providing essential support to these children and their families, helping to protect them from abuse, get them access to clean water and get them back into school. We don't know what the outcome of these developments will be, but we do know that if we are forced to stop our work the lives of thousands of children could be at risk."

For information or interviews in the UK,call Save the Children UK's media unit on +44 207 012 6841 / +44 7831 650 409 (24-hour line) or email media@savethechildren.org.uk