Sudan

Civilians and humanitarian workers are increasingly becoming the targets of attacks causing further casualties, additional population movements to already overflowing Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and deepening economic hardship. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been the main humanitarian agency at the Gereida camp, since a security incident in December 2006 forced almost all other organisations to leave.

Since the end of last year, an additional 9,000 people have arrived at Gereida. Most had fled their homes because of fighting lawlessness and insufficient access to drinking water, basic health care and other services. The ICRC continues to provide the camp's population with food, shelter materials, household items, clean water, sanitation, and health and nutritional care. To finance these operations at Gereida camp, the ICRC is asking donors for an additional 20 million Swiss francs, bringing its estimated 2008 budget for Sudan to 126million francs (over 78million Euro).

Well over a quarter of a million Euros has been sent by the Irish Red Cross to help people in the region, but more funds are urgently needed as acute human suffering will grow because of the upsurge in violence.

In the past year, the camp's population has doubled to over 125,000 people, of which 21,000 represents children under five who remain fully dependent on external aid for survival. Waste disposal is of particular concern in the camp where one of the largest dumps contends with the many make shift shelters for space.

In response to the urgent needs of Gereida camp the Irish Red Cross contributed a further €50,000 to the ICRC appeal in support of much needed clean water, sanitation and waste disposal services. "We initially planned to hand over relief work at Gereida to other aid agencies by July 2008", said Daniel Duvillard, Head of ICRC operations for the Horn of Africa. "Our aim is to increase our focus on helping vulnerable people in remote rural communities in Darfur. However, our discussions with various organisations interested in working in the camp have not yet produced a final agreement."

In addition to camp activities the ICRC intends to continue its work in rural areas where only they have access due to the security risks involved. Up until recently, activities focused on restoring and preserving rural community livelihoods, with the aim of preventing further displacement to already overcrowded IDP camps such as Gereida and in assisting IDP's wishing to return home. Because of the worsening crisis in Gereida and the withdrawal of most other international aid agencies from the camp the ICRC has had to take on increased humanitarian services in order to prevent a catastrophe.

Former UN Under-Secretary General, Jan Egeland commended the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement at a meeting in Dublin when he met the Head of the Irish Red Cross International Department, Noel Wardick. Mr. Egeland shared Irish Red Cross concerns at the egregious human rights violations and incessant breaches, by all parties to the conflict, of international humanitarian law.

The Irish Red Cross continues to need funds to be able to provide shelter, water, sanitation and medical supplies to people who have been forced to flee their homes and who are now destitute and living in heavily overcrowded temporary camps. Funds are also needed to support children, older people and other vulnerable groups who are unable to make the long journeys to the camps and who need help to stay in their own communities.

According to the United Nations, well over 200,000 people have died and more than two and a half million have been displaced in camps since the conflict erupted in Darfur in February 2003. Some sources say the death toll is much higher. The increased lack of security and certain limits on the Red Cross's ability to access parts of Darfur is making it extremely difficult for the organisation to accurately assess the situation of communities living in remote villages and areas cut off by the recent escalation in fighting.

Voicing his concerns at a meeting in Georgetown University, Washington last October, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Dr. Jakob Kellenberger identified the ever-increasing fractionalisation and emergence of armed splinter groups as a major threat to the safety of village communities and aid agencies who are trying to support them staying in their own homes and to keep them away from the dangers and dependency of the overcrowded camps.

"In 2003, when the conflict started, there was one rebel faction, in addition to the government forces and the Arab militias. By the end of 2005, there were 6 rebel factions, which split again to be 11 different factions this summer. Even now the fragmentation is continuing”, he said.

Over 3,600 field trips have been carried out in Darfur by the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to Dr Kellenberger, but he noted that much effort has to be made in persuading the newly-emergent groups to recognise the work of the Red Cross and agree to allow it to operate in their different areas. This is essential to provide vital food aid to around 200,000 people, as well as seeds and agricultural tools to help people sustain themselves. A mobile field surgical team has also been provided to operate on war wounded who do not have access to adequate health structures.

On a recent visit to Dublin on 19th May 2008, President Kellenberger reminded staff of the Irish Red Cross of the importance of the principle of "independent and neutral humanitarian action'' which is central to ICRC's specific mandate to protect and assist all people affected by armed conflict. This principle is the very means which allow the ICRC gain the best possible access to people in need of protection and assistance.
In the last two years, the Irish Red Cross has contributed €425,000 to the Darfur region. Intervention has focused on essential live saving water and sanitation projects both in Gereida as well as to more remote areas, providing seeds and tools to assist vulnerable communities who continue to have access to land during the cropping season.
The ICRC's largest operation for the fourth year running, emergency operations have been ongoing in Sudan for the past 29 years. Today, the ICRC has over 160 expatriates and over 1,900 locally recruited staff working in various regions of the country of which the Darfur region remains the biggest area of operation.
The Irish Red Cross continues to monitor the ever worsening situation in Darfur and remains deeply concerned at the prevailing humanitarian situation in the region.
The Irish Red Cross urgently needs your support to ease the suffering of people in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

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Irish Red Cross Darfur Appeal
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