Wednesday, August 04, 2010

WFP, UNAMID initiative to deliver food in Darfur - Sudanese Gov't authorises UN led team to enter Kalma IDP camp

A UN-led humanitarian assessment team has received authorisation from the Sudanese Government to enter Kalma Camp, Nyala, South Darfur, W. Sudan.

WFP and UNAMID representatives met this morning in El Fasher, North Darfur, to finalise plans for the Mission to provide security escorts during the rainy season for WFP trucks transporting food to impoverished beneficiaries throughout Darfur.

Report from United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
Darfur / UNAMID Daily Media Brief - Wednesday, 04 August 2010
EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan/via APO Wednesday, 04 August 2010:
Security situation update
UNAMID continues to conduct regular patrols in Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in South Darfur.

While increased patrolling by UNAMID military and police has resulted in an improvement in the security situation, as of 1 August, no organizations have been allowed to deliver humanitarian aid.

WFP, UNAMID initiative to deliver food in Darfur
WFP and UNAMID representatives met this morning in El Fasher, North Darfur, to finalize plans for the Mission to provide security escorts during the rainy season for WFP trucks transporting food to impoverished beneficiaries throughout Darfur.

The WFP representatives voiced appreciation for the Mission’s continued support, which will also include helping to expedite the agency’s inter-state movements and escorting overnight WFP missions.

UNAMID patrols
UNAMID military forces conducted 88 patrols including routine, short-range, long-range, night and humanitarian escort patrols covering 76 villages and IDP camps.

UNAMID police advisors conducted 147 patrols in villages and IDP camps.
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A UN-led humanitarian assessment team has received authorisation from the Sudanese Government to enter Kalma Camp, Nyala, South Darfur, W. Sudan

Report from UN News Centre - Tuesday, 03 August 2010 :
Efforts to ease tensions at Darfur camp continue, UN-African Union mission reports
03 August 2010 – A senior official with the joint United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur is again visiting a camp for displaced persons in a bid to ease recent tensions there following deadly violence between supporters and opponents of the ongoing peace process.

It is the third visit in as many days to the massive Kalma camp in Nyala, South Darfur, for Mohammed Yonis, the Deputy Joint Special Representative at the mission, known as UNAMID.

Tensions in Kalma rose last week after the conclusion of the latest round of peace talks in Doha, Qatar, with some groups contending they were unrepresented. The camp was the scene of violent protests on Thursday in which hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) demonstrated. Tensions in Kalma rose last week after the conclusion of the latest round of peace talks in Doha, Qatar, with some groups contending they were unrepresented.

UNAMID said that a reconciliation committee has been mediating a peaceful settlement between the opposing sides.

Discussions are also continuing concerning six local leaders – five men and one woman – who sought protection at the mission’s community policing centre (CPC) outside the camp following last week’s protests.

Government officials in South Darfur state have demanded that the mission hand them over.

Christopher Cycmanick, a spokesperson for UNAMID, described the situation as “complicated” and said that the mission is continuing discussions to ensure that it handles the matter properly.

“We want to make sure that everything is fine if they are released to the Government,” he said in an interview with UN Radio.

“But technically, it’s a very fine line that we are walking because they have gone to ask for assistance or help and they have already been at the CPC for more than 48 hours,” he stated.

“Also, we are working in a sovereign country. We will at some point have to honour their request. We just want to make sure that things are handled properly.”

Meanwhile, the mission noted that a UN-led humanitarian assessment team has received authorization from the Sudanese Government to enter the Kalma camp, which is home to more than 100,000 IDPs.

Darfurian refugees in a camp near the northeastern Central African Republic town of Sam Ouandja
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Report from Radio Miraya FM - Tuesday, 03 August 2010 11:10:
4 UNAMID peacekeepers die in car crash in Nyala
The United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said that four of its peacekeepers have died in a car accident in Nyala town, South Darfur State on Sunday. Speaking to Radio Miraya, the UNAMID Spokesman, Chris Charles, said that the accident occurred when the Sierra Leonean peacekeepers' vehicle which was on its way from the airport to Nyala town collided.
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Report from UN News Centre - Monday, 02 August 2010:
Ban saddened by deaths of Darfur peacekeepers in road accident
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he was saddened by the deaths of four Sierra Leonean peacekeepers serving in the joint United Nations-African Union mission in the Sudanese region of Darfur (UNAMID) who died in a road accident.

The accident happened yesterday in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state.

Mr. Ban conveyed his condolences to the Sierra Leonean Government and to the families of the four soldiers, and hoped for the full recovery of two other military personnel who were injured in the accident.

“The Secretary-General would like to take this opportunity to commend all of the men and women serving in UNAMID in military, police and civilian capacities, for their efforts to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian assistance and bring peace to Darfur,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said.
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