DARFUR FACES POTENTIAL FOOD CRISIS UNLESS ACTION TAKEN NOW, WARN UN AGENCIES

DARFUR FACES POTENTIAL FOOD CRISIS UNLESS ACTION TAKEN NOW, WARN UN AGENCIES New York, Jun 23 2008 1:00PM United Nations agencies operating in Darfur are calling for <"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2875">urgent action to avert a potential food crisis this year in the war-wracked Sudanese region resulting from ongoing insecurity, a bad harvest and rising food prices.

"There is a window of opportunity to protect the population of Darfur from the worst effects of this year's difficult hunger gap but it is closing," the agencies said in a joint statement issued yesterday.

An estimated 300,000 people have died, either through direct combat or disease, malnutrition or reduced life expectancy, since the fighting between rebels, Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen began in 2003, while another 2.7 million people have become displaced.

The agencies said that underlying the potential crisis is the ongoing insecurity in the region, which led to an additional 180,000 people being displaced from their homes in the first five months of this year.

Violence directed against aid agencies have led to eight humanitarian workers being killed this year, and a rising number of hijackings of vehicles – 160 to date in 2008. In addition, attacks on the UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoys have seriously delayed the food aid delivery to the region, resulting in a 40 per cent cut in food rations.

Compounding the situation is the shortfall in cereal due to a lower than expected harvest last year, coupled with rising food prices. "If crops cannot be cultivated due to fighting and displacement, many households will become even more vulnerable," the agencies said.

With water and sanitation services already over-stretched, diseases such as diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections during the upcoming rainy season could worsen the situation of those already affected by food shortages, they added.

The humanitarian community urged safe access for aid workers to all communities to keep an eye on the situation and respond as needed. "All parties must act now to allow humanitarian agencies to safely monitor the situation and deliver life-saving assistance. Without these conditions in place, specifically the security necessary to deliver full food rations, the situation will deteriorate," warned the agencies.

They also called for speeding up the deployment of troops for the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission (<"http://unamid.unmissions.org/Default.aspx#">UNAMID), which is tasked with quelling the violence in Darfur. The mission currently has around 10,000 troops and police officers on the ground, far short of the expected total of about 26,000 when it reaches full deployment.
2008-06-23 00:00:00.000

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