The situation in Sudan’s Darfur region is worsening despite global intervention and peace talks, reported the head of the United Nations.

|PIC1|Increase in ethnic clashes, destabilising elements crossing in from Chad, and continuing banditry are a few of the problems that Sudan faces according to the report released on Dec. 29 by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Efforts by both international social bodies as well as Christian organisations have not been able to end the conflict between the rebel armies and the Sudanese government. Annan pointed out in his latest update to the Council that Southern Darfur experienced its highest rate of violence last month.

Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, the global alliance of churches and related agencies, reported further details of recent conflicts including an incident on Dec. 9.

On Dec. 9, violent clashes between two tribes in Nyangadoulu, about 25 km northeast of Zalingei in West Darfur, Sudan, had resulted in at least 60 deaths and 49 people being injured.

By Dec. 12, the conflict had caused more than 200 household (700 individuals) being forced from their homes by local violence, leading to more than 400 additional internally displaced persons (IDPs) arriving in Zalingei by Dec. 14, ACT reported.

|AD|In spite of the danger, ACT-Caritas continues to operate in Darfur through a field office in Zalingei. The alliance works with IDPs in the area providing blankets, jerry cans, cooking sets, and sleeping mats along with other needed items.

The ACT–Caritas Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) has appealed for $14,793,143 for 2006 to fund integrated programs covering basic social services of primary health care and working towards sustainable livelihoods in returnee villages, and increasing focus on peace building.

The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) is acting as lead agency for the Caritas Network in Sudan and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is the lead basis in Sudan for both ACT and Caritas. The Sudan Council of Churches (SCC), SudanAid and the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) are the local members and partners implementing programs on behalf of the ACT/Caritas operation.

The U.N. report, after listing the increasing problems in Darfur, concluded that the current peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, is “critical and must be decisive,” referring to the sixth round of peace talks between the Sudanese government and the rebel groups that began on Sept. 15.






Michelle Vu
Christian Today Correspondent