Statement by Oxfam GB and Save the Children Spain

Aid agencies working in Um Dukhun, West Darfur, have temporarily suspended all but essential work following a sharp rise in violent attacks on aid workers in and around the town. Vital assistance to about 100,000 people - including conflict-affected Darfurians and refugees from Chad and the Central African Republic - will be disrupted as a result.

In the last three weeks a humanitarian convoy was shot at and robbed while travelling outside the town, an aid agency security guard was severely beaten by armed men and remains in critical condition, and most recently a vehicle belonging to Oxfam was hijacked and stolen in a camp sheltering refugees and people displaced by the conflict.

As a result, agencies based in Um Dukhun - including Oxfam and Save the Children Spain as well as Mercy Corps, Triangle and others - have decided to suspend the majority of programmes on a temporary basis. A small number of aid workers will remain to monitor the situation and maintain some life-saving work.

"We greatly regret any suspension, even temporarily, of assistance to people in need, but such attacks on humanitarian workers are not acceptable and cannot be tolerated. We are working closely with local authorities and the community to resolve the situation, and we urge them to take steps to ensure our staff can safely continue to operate in the area. All parties to the conflict in Darfur must respect humanitarian operations and do more to bring those responsible to account," said Oxfam and Save the Children Spain jointly.

Oxfam's Country Programme Manager, Caroline Nursey, said: "Incidents such as these are now an all too frequent occurrence in Darfur and humanitarian vehicles are being hijacked every few days. This is seriously threatening our ability to respond to the enormous humanitarian need in the region."

Um Dukhun is at the southernmost end of West Darfur and close to the borders with Chad and the Central African Republic. Aid agencies are working in the town and surrounding rural areas to assist displaced and conflict-affected Darfurians, as well as refugees fleeing worsening violence in Chad and CAR.

For more information contact Alun McDonald, Oxfam, on +249 912391657 or amcdonald@oxfam.org.uk

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