U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
Note: The last situation report was dated October 31, 2008.
BACKGROUND
In 2008, Sudan continues to cope with the effects of conflict, displacement, and insecurity countrywide. Since 2003, a complex emergency in Sudan's western region of Darfur has affected more than 4.7 million people, including nearly 2.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). In Darfur, fighting among armed opposition factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), militias, and ethnic groups is ongoing. According to the U.N., clashes have displaced more than 315,000 individuals within Darfur and to eastern Chad since January 2008.
The former Government of Sudan and the southern-based Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) continue to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) through the joint Government of National Unity (GNU). The GNU was formed in 2005, the year the parties signed the CPA and officially ended more than two decades of conflict between the north and the south. During the conflict, famine, fighting, and disease killed more than 2 million people, forced an estimated 600,000 Sudanese to seek refuge in neighboring countries, and displaced 4 million others within Sudan. The U.N. estimates that approximately 2.1 million people displaced during the conflict have returned to Southern Sudan and the Three Areas of Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Abyei since 2005, taxing scarce resources and weak infrastructure. In eastern Sudan, the GNU and the Eastern Front opposition coalition signed the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement in 2006, but the area remains underdeveloped and slow to recover from decades of conflict.
The U.S. Government (USG) is the largest bilateral donor to Sudan and has contributed more than $3 billion for humanitarian programs in Sudan and eastern Chad since FY 2004. The USG continues to support the implementation of the CPA and joins the international community in seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Darfur. On October 16, 2008, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Alberto M. Fernandez renewed the disaster declaration for the complex emergency in Sudan for FY 2009. The U.S. Mission in Sudan has declared disasters due to the complex emergency on an annual basis since 1987.
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE | SOURCE | |
| IDPs in Sudan | From Southern Sudan: 2.7 million
| UNHCR(1) - October 2008 OCHA(2) -
October 2008 U.N. - September 2007 |
| Sudanese Refugees | From Darfur: 250,000
From Southern Sudan: 215,000 Returnees to Southern Sudan: 294,000 | UNHCR - June 2008 UNHCR - September 2008 UNHCR - September 2008 |
| Refugees in Sudan | From Eritrea, Chad, Ethiopia, and others: 227,664 | UNHCR - August 2008 |
HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED TO DATE (IN FY 2008 AND FY 2009)
USAID/OFDA(3) Assistance to Sudan
and Eastern Chad:$146,402,096
USAID/FFP(4) Assistance to Sudan and Eastern Chad: $947,849,000
State/PRM(5) Assistance to Sudan and Eastern Chad: $116,512,456
Total USAID and State Humanitarian Assistance to Sudan and Eastern Chad:
$1,210,763,552
CURRENT SITUATION IN DARFUR
Fighting between armed opposition groups and SAF and allied militias continued throughout November, despite the November 12 announcement of an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Darfur. Banditry and attacks on humanitarian workers hampered the provision of relief assistance in Darfur, and insecurity or intimidation forced at least three nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to temporarily relocate staff.
On November 18, the GNU announced the extension of the Moratorium on Restrictions until January 31, 2010. The year-long extension enables the humanitarian community to continue relief operations in Darfur and facilitates administrative procedures for aid organizations.
From November 24 to 30, U.N. Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes traveled to Darfur, Khartoum, the Three Areas, and Southern Sudan to assess the humanitarian and security situation. In Darfur, Holmes met with NGOs, GNU officials, and IDP representatives to discuss security for relief workers, civilian protection, and GNU cooperation with NGOs. Holmes reported deteriorating conditions in Darfur, citing continuing violence and restricted access for humanitarian workers, particularly in South Darfur. In Khartoum, Holmes met with GNU officials to discuss bureaucratic obstacles to humanitarian program implementation.
Security and Humanitarian Access
In November, attacks against aid workers, clashes, and bureaucratic impediments continued to limit humanitarian access to affected populations in Darfur. As of November 30, OCHA reported that bandits and other assailants had killed 11 humanitarian workers, hijacked 261 vehicles, broken into 172 humanitarian compounds, and abducted 189 staff since January 1, 2008, up from 225 hijacked vehicles, 144 assaults on humanitarian compounds, and 170 staff abductions in early October. According to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP), insecurity prevented humanitarian access to more than 272,000 people in Darfur in October, the highest number of inaccessible people to date in 2008. In addition, NGOs have relocated 25 times in 2008 due to intimidation of and attacks on humanitarian staff.
On November 7, armed assailants hijacked seven WFP-contracted trucks transporting 114 metric tons (MT) of mixed food commodities from the WFP logistics hub in El Obeid, Northern Kordofan, toward Ed Daein, South Darfur. As of November 13, five of the seven trucks and five WFP-contracted drivers remained missing. To date in 2008, assailants have hijacked a total of 110 WFP-contracted trucks, 71 of which remain missing.
On November 12, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced an unconditional, immediate ceasefire in all areas of Darfur. However, the U.N. confirmed SAF aerial bombardments near a key transport route in North Darfur from November 15 to 16, as well as additional aerial attacks on Abu Dangal village, South Darfur, from November 21 to 22. The U.N. has not yet confirmed the number of displaced individuals as a result of the attacks. On November 26, the U.N. called on the Sudanese government and armed opposition groups to cease hostilities and requested that the government honor pledges to implement the November 12 ceasefire.
On December 1, tensions erupted between Arab militia members and IDP residents in Hissa Hissa IDP camp in South Darfur. According to the U.N.-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), at least 10 armed individuals fired shots at a camp water pump and set the pump and five generators on fire. The incident resulted in a clash between IDP residents and the militia. A UNAMID team deployed to the area to monitor the situation.
