Bonn, 17.11.2006. Following the deterioration of the security situation in Sudan's crisis-stricken province of Darfur, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (German Agro Action) has evacuated 18 of its relief workers. The workers had been working in a food distribution centre in Birmaza on Sudan's border with Chad.

"Current fighting is cross-border and is threatening to destabilise the entire region," said Jörg Heinrich, Welthungerhilfe's Programme Manager for Sudan. "We couldn't expose our colleagues to this risk any longer."

This means that relief supplies to almost half a million refugees normally reached by Welthungerhilfe are at risk again. "Last month, we reached around 300,000 people, next month it will be around 100,000 fewer."

Welthungerhilfe has regularly publicized the fate of the civilian population in Darfur and called upon the international community to guarantee refugees protection and safety. A special meeting of the UN yesterday in Addis Abeba to discuss the dispatch of peacekeeping troops to the region gives Heinrich a small glimmer of hope. "But a solution depends on a ceasefire accepted by all the parties involved in the conflict. To achieve this, new negotiations are needed."

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe distributes food, blankets and cooking utensils in North Darfur. It also helps refugees build temporary classrooms in refugee camps to guarantee children schooling.

Jörg Heinrich is available for interviews on request

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe has been active in Sudan in the provinces of North Darfur, West Kordofan and Unity State since 1998. In North Darfur, it provides 485,000 people with food, in Unity State 185,000. Other projects focus on agriculture, food security and drinking water supply.

For further information, see www.welthungerhilfe.de Photos may be ordered from: ute.warkalla@dwhh.de

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