Sudan
UN announces resumption of relief to Sudan

afrol.com, 15 August - Secretary-General of the United Nation, Kofi Annan, in a statement read by the Spokesman, announced that the United Nations would resume on Wednesday all humanitarian relief flights throughout the Sudan. The UN thus demonstrates very much inconsistence in its Sudan policy.

Annan in his statement welcomed the assurances that he received from Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir that all measures are being taken to ensure the safety of Operation Lifeline Sudan relief personnel and aircraft.

The Secretary-General said he trusted that the Government of the Sudan and other parties to the conflict will continue to honor fully their commitment to ensure the safety and security of relief workers and also of the vulnerable populations whose urgent needs are being addressed. Last Tuesday, the Secretary-General announced the temporary suspension of relief flights to Sudan following the repeated bombing of the southern town of Mapel, near facilities run by the World Food Programme and UN Children's Fund.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 8 August at a UN briefing in New York had announced the temporary suspension of UN relief flights, pending a security assessment. He expressed his deep concerns over the security of humanitarian personnel and facilities belonging to Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS). He was particularly alarmed at the latest incident on 7 August during which some 18 bombs were dropped in the vicinity of United Nations-based facilities at Mapel, 60 kilometres southeast of Wau. A United Nations aircraft, that had been cleared by the Government of Sudan to undertake its flight, was on the airstrip at Mapel at the time of the bombing. 

They day after, relief facilities at Mapel in southern Sudan were targeted in yet another round of bombing. Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, strongly condemned the continued bombings and said that WFP would evacuate its aid workers from the area.

Thus, only one week ago, WFP director Bertini furiously stated that “these violent attacks are totally unacceptable and we strongly condemn them. They show there is no respect for aid workers trying to help innocent Sudanese.” Today's decision to resume the flights demonstrates a great deal of inconsistence in UN policy towards Sudan - a Sudan that continues showing very much consistence in its way of treating the civilian population. It is also hard to believe that there is consensus in the Sudan policy of the UN between Annan and Bertini.

Sources: Based on WFP and UN

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