As the situation on the ground in the Darfur region of Sudan worsens, and the international community remains unable to persuade the Khartoum government to protect it's own people, humanitarian aid workers vow to remain in Darfur as long as possible.
[Update:
link here to an excellent NYT audio presentation by reporter Lydia Polgren from a displaced persons camp called "Rwanda" near the town of Tawila. The accompanying article, unfortunately, is behind the TimesSelect wall.]
Reported by the
BBC at the beginning of the month,
"The last few months and weeks have been some of the most difficult for aid workers in Darfur," explained Greg Barrow of the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN agency feeding some 2.75 million people in the region.
Humanitarian groups such as the International Rescue Committee, CARE, Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD/UK), Oxfam International, and Islamic Relief work in oppressive conditions every day to make a small difference for the people of Darfur. To be successful in their efforts, according to Marc Jimenez of the International Committee of the Red Cross, they must be sure that all sides in a conflict know of "our every move and every activity." In Darfur, with changing loyalties among the rebel groups and the uncooperative nature of the Khartoum regime, this is made particularly difficult.
Since May 2006, 12 aid workers have been killed in Darfur including one of the staff members of the Red Cross in mid-August. As desperation sets in with people displaced from their villages for months or even years and terrorized on a daily basis, it is sometimes difficult for the victims of this genocide to recognize the motives of strangers, even ones who are just there to help. In just two weeks this summer, more aid workers were killed than in the previous two years according to the UN and aid agencies and reported by the BBC in early August.
The African Union's mandate to provide limited peacekeeping in Darfur was extended this week to the end of the year. In addition, the United Nations will now provide the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) with new supplies and logistical support. The Arab League has also agreed to provide additional funding to AMIS. While positive, this extension and assistant is not by any means sufficient to end the ongoing crimes against humanity occurring on a daily basis in Darfur.
With estimates of deaths from conflict, disease and starvation still in the range of 300-500 per day according to various NGOs, the only thing that will save the people of Darfur is an end to the conflict and the arrival of a robust international peacekeeping force with the mandate and manpower to protect civilians against further raids or attacks from either their own government, factionalized rebel forces, or government-supported militias.