Sudan's HAC has closed SUDO - UNMIS Head of Human Rights out, Diplomats expected in next wave

Just in from Rob Crilly in Khartoum, via Twitter an hour ago (right now it is 13:34 pm GMT here in England, UK):

Unmis head of human rights out. Diplomats expected in next wave
about 1 hour ago from txt

UNMIS is the UN's mission in southern Sudan. More news on this later, when I find it. Note earlier news from Rob posted here at Sudan Watch today about Darfur being a cash cow for NGOs.

Going by what I have filed here at Sudan Watch over the past five years, Sudan is one of the most ancient civilisations in the world. It has existed since the year dot and will continue to survive. Trouble is these days in Sudan, due to global warming and desertification, within the next seven years or so, water will become more precious than oil. People can survive for quite a long time without food in searing heat but only a few days without drinking water. No doubt the Sudanese government is aware that they must ensure that everybody in Sudan right now has access to drinking water, not forgetting all the animals and plants.
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Just in, around 13:00 pm GMT, from sudanupdate.org Monday March 9, 2009:

Sudan's Humanitarian Assistance Commission (HAC) closes another Sudanese organisation

HAC has closed another Sudanese organisation, following the Humanitarian Centre for Development and Environment and AMAL centre. See statement of SUDO (Sudan Social Development Organisation) here below.

Media and officials are currently very much focussing on the expulsion of international NGOs, and the closing of indigenous Sudanese organisations at best only gets one single sentence in the reporting. But it should be noted, that the Sudanese organisations are the most important in the country, as they usually stay, serving their people and fighting for their human rights and a transformation of the society from within, while internationals come and go. The Sudanese staff of international NGOs and the staff of indigenous NGOs are the ones, who are the most exposed and vulnerable, if it comes to measures of the government. They need our full solidarity and support at this critical time."

From SUDO March 6, 2009: Statement about dissolving the Sudan Social Development Organization

On Thursday 5 March, 2009 around 17:30 Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) received a letter signed by the general commissioner of the Humanitarian Assistance commission (HAC), that the commission decided to dissolve the organization with immediate effect and handover all its 10 offices and all its properties and resources to a committee from HAC.

SUDO is the biggest national organization undertaking humanitarian and development assistance to the most needy and most vulnerable Sudanese people through 10 field offices in North, South and West Darfur, South Kordofan, Nuba mountains, North Kordofan, Blue Nile and Khartoum. Our current operations provide urgent and life saving assistance to over 700,000 IDPs and poor farmers in different parts of the country, especially Darfur. Our work is and has always been purely humanitarian and is mostly needed at this time of our country.

We believe that the decision of the commissioner contradicts the Sudanese laws and violates the constitutional rights and we will be contesting this decision through the Sudanese legal and judicial systems.

Sudan Social Development Organization SUDO
Khartoum March 6, 2009

منظمة السودان للتنمية الإجتماعية
(سودو)
تلفون: + 249183483133
Sudan Social Development Organization
(SUDO)
Tel: +249183-483 133/494977
Fax: +249 183 494976
منزل رقم 17 مربع 4 غرب الديوم (السجانة)
ص ب 11926 الخرطوم 11111
Building No. 17, Block 4, West Ed
Dieum [as Saganah]
P. O. Box 11926, Khartoum 11111
E-mail: info@sudosudan.org