Norway aid agency leaves Darfur after obstruction
Source: Reuters
(Updates with AU official paras 11-15) By Opheera McDoom KHARTOUM, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Sudanese government obstruction has forced the Norwegian Refugee Council to close its Darfur operation providing humanitarian relief to 300,000 war victims, the aid agency said on Friday. Sudan is suspicious of the dozens of foreign aid agencies working in Darfur and has targeted more vocal organisations, especially those that have revealed figures for rape, a crime Khartoum denies is widespread in the violent region. "Closing down is the very last option," said NRC Secretary-General Tomas C. Archer. "However, the frequent disruption of our humanitarian work, such as suspension for a sum total of 210 days, is forcing us to take this very difficult decision," he added. "We cannot work when the authorities suspend us continuously and do not respond to our repeated requests for dialogue," Archer said in a statement. Sudanese officials were not immediately available to comment. Darfur is home to the world's largest humanitarian operation with 14,000 aid workers. Experts estimate 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million forced from their homes over 3-1/2 years of conflict called genocide by Washington. Last year Khartoum ordered the heads of Oxfam and Save the Children to leave the country after both issued press releases about the ongoing violence in Darfur. And two senior members of Medecins Sans Frontieres Holland were arrested charged with espionage and publishing false information after the organisation issued a report detailing hundreds of rape victims they had treated in Darfur hospitals. Analysts say Khartoum has been targeting press and aid agencies in particular trying to stop information getting out about sensitive ongoing military operations in Darfur, despite a ceasefire and peace deal. African Union forces monitoring the widely ignored truce are supposed to report violations, but its reporting system has all but stalled in recent months. Visiting AU Peace and Security Commissioner Said Djinnit said as of Sunday the reporting system would recommence work and all violations would be made public. "And this is an objective and transparent manner so that the public ... shall know what is happening on the ground," he told reporters after a visit to Darfur. This will also help cooperation with aid agencies working in Darfur. NRC had constant troubles with the authorities since it began operations in 2004 and its activities were suspended five times. NRC worked in Darfur's vast and most volatile camp, Kalma in South Darfur. Kalma residents burnt and looted the offices of government authorities who have not been able to reestablish control for almost two years. They say rebels have infiltrated the camp and accused NRC, the agency in charge of Kalma, of aiding them. Mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing the central government of marginalising the remote west. Khartoum armed militias to quell the revolt. Those militia stand accused of a widespread campaign of rape, looting and murder, although Khartoum denies genocide. The International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes.
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