In
Darfur,
UN Denies Threatening IDPs, Defends Ending Humanitarian
Reports, No Access to Jebel Marra
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 12 -- On Darfur, even when the UN belatedly provides
some answers about the ongoing starvation
of internally displaced
people by the Sudanese government, it simultaneously dissembles
about
what six IDPs say were threats by the UN to turn them over to the
government.
In
the Kalma
Camp, the six IDPs said
“Joint
Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari met them on Wednesday in
presence of a government delegation led by state minister for
humanitarian affairs Mutrif Sideeg... Gambari asked them to accept
the presence of joint patrols formed by the Sudanese government and
the hybrid peacekeeping mission. 'If you refuse to accept this deal I
will have no choice but to hand you over to the Sudanese
authorities,' Gambari told them.”
While
UN spokesman
Martin Nesirky denied this account on Thursday, when Inner City Press
asked if Gambari had asked the IDPs to consent to searches of the
camp by Sudan government authorities, only then did Nesirky read out
a second part of his prepared guidance. Video here, from Minute
12:35. As subsequently provided to Inner City Press by the UN
Spokesperson's Office:
Further
to
your questions at today's Spokesperson's Noon Briefing regarding
Kalma camp in Darfur...
Joint
Special
Representative Gambari (JSR) met with the internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Kalma yesterday on a joint visit with
Government of Sudan officials with whom he has been holding
consultations on issues related to recent developments in Kalma.
Contrary to press reports, the JSR did not "threaten" the
IDPs. UNAMID will not hand over the six IDP leaders in question
without a reassurance that certain preconditions as to their rights
are met.
The
JSR
stressed the protection of civilian mandate of UNAMID and
emphasized the need for sustainable peace in Darfur for all its
populations. He highlighted that IDP camps are designed to provide
shelter for vulnerable populations. Criminality and proliferation of
weapons is not acceptable in Kalma and or any other IDP camp. He
reassured the IDPs that all issues related to the Kalma incident are
being discussed with a view to mutually-acceptable outcomes for all
parties.
What
are the
“certain preconditions” under which the UN would turn over these
IDPs to the Sudanese government? Watch this site.
UN's Ban and Gambari, reports of threats to
IDPs (and Darfur Humanitarian Reports) not shown
Finally, these
answers came in from UNAMID's Officer-in-Charge of both the Media
Relations Unit and the Publications Unit, Christopher Cycmanick:
Inner
City
Press 1. I was told re Kalma Camp that international NGOs are
barred, but some local NGOs get in. What percentage of the
humanitarian work is impacted by the ban on INGOs?
OCHA:
Due
to increased insecurity and tension within the Kalma Camp the
work of International NGO's and Humanitarian Agencies is not taking
place. The last batch of humanitarian assistance reached the camp
some 11 days ago. No proper estimate of impact on humanitarian
programs in Kalma can be given without gaining access.
Inner
City
Press 2. Are the same or other restrictions in place at the
Zalingi Camp?
UNAMID:
There
are no such restrictions in Zalingei. Humanitarian
organizations maintain full access to the camp.
Inner
City
Press 3. What can you can about lack of humanitarian access to
eastern Jebel Marra?
OCHA:
Access
to eastern Jebel Marra remains closed to humanitarians with
very few exceptions.
Inner
City
Press 4. What access do UNAMID peacekeepers have?
UNAMID:
Mission
Peacekeepers do not have access to the Jebel Marra area
because of the prevailing security situation and restrictions/denial
of access from both Government of Sudan and rebel movements.
Inner
City
Press 5. Can you confirm reports of firing into Kalma Camp by
people in government vehicles, and if UNAMID responded, what did this
response consist of?
UNAMID:
Sporadic
firing in Kalma camp was reported, but this firing was done
by some camp resident. There were no reports or evidence of firing by
“people in government vehicles”. UNAMID Police is conducting 24/7
patrols in the Camp to increase security.
Inner
City
Press 6. Less immediately pressing, on humanitarian, the UN used
to publish a "Darfur Humanitarian Profile" every quarter.
It seems that these documents ceased appearing (with no explanation
offered) after the Jan 1, 2009 report (reflecting conditions as of
October 2008). Why is the UN no longer organizing and promulgating
what data it has, as it used to do with the "Darfur Humanitarian
Profiles"?
OCHA:
Information
continues to be collected and disseminated on the
humanitarian situation in Darfur. The Darfur Humanitarian Profile was
produced with broad participation of humanitarian organizations
working in Darfur. The expulsion of 13 international NGOs from Sudan
in March 2009 and increased relocation of remaining NGO staff in
remote locations (largely as a result of insecurity) have critically
reduced humanitarian presence on the ground. As a consequence,
efforts to produce reliable data at the level of the DHP became
untenable. OCHA continues to seek ways to restore reliable data
collection in remote locations.
Inner
City
Press 7. Q: What data do the UN / UNAMID have on Global Acute
Malnutrition? Why isn't it being collated and released publicly?
Please provide your most recent data for the three Darfur states.
OCHA:
A
limited amount of malnutrition data for Darfur has been verified,
which will be available in the next 1-2 days. Remaining data is still
in the process of verification and will be released once verification
is complete.
So
not even UN
peacekeepers have been able to access Jebal Marra. What about the
protection of civilians mandate?
Inner
City Press
has asked for the malnutrition data and the “certain preconditions”
under which UNAMID would turn over the six IDPs to the Sudanese
government, and has posed the following additional questions:
What
was
ever found out about how had taken the Russian helicopter pilot?
Any
movement
on the Security Council's call for DPKO / UNAMID to reach a
“full understanding of the facts” underlying the violence in
Kalma Camp?
Watch
this site.
* * *
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