USAID
Darfur Humanitarian Emergency
Tuesday, March 1st, 2005
Darfur Humanitarian Emergency
Total FY 2005 USG Humanitarian Assistance for the Darfur Emergency (to date): $344,944,264
Total FY 2003 – 2005 USG Humanitarian Assistance for the Darfur Emergency: $603,389,944
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Current Humanitarian Situation
USG Humanitarian Assistance
On March 27, a USAID/OFDA flight carrying 20,005 blankets arrived in Nyala, South Darfur. An additional USAID/OFDA flight containing 630 rolls of plastic sheeting arrived in Nyala on March 29. The total value of the commodities including transport was $388,230. Three additional USAID/OFDA shipments are scheduled to arrive in Darfur in the coming week, transporting a total of 1,890 rolls of plastic sheeting and 20,020 blankets, valued at more than $601,170, including transport. To date, USAID has delivered 78 airlifts with 535,540 blankets, 52,100 water containers, and enough plastic sheeting to provide emergency shelter for nearly 1.3 million displaced people.
Assessment in North Darfur
From March 20 to 23, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) North Darfur Field Officer participated in an interagency assessment of Sudanese Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A)-held areas near Dar Zegawa in North Darfur. Dar Zegawa is a remote area of North Darfur that currently receives little humanitarian assistance due to insecurity and lack of access.
The assessment concluded that traditional coping mechanisms are being depleted for both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities as a result of ongoing conflict. In addition, conflict has eroded much of the population’s livelihoods through the looting of animals, inaccessibility of migratory routes for pasture and water, and distance from markets for the sale of livestock and purchase of grains/cereals. Furthermore, insecurity has reduced the number of accessible water sources, at the same time that accessible water sources are becoming more scarce from declining water tables, slow recharge rates, and lack of maintenance for wells and pumps.
The USAID/DART identified the need for expanded temporary emergency food distribution and water sector programs in the near term to prevent further population displacement in Dar Zegawa.
USAID/OFDA Director Visit
Between March 24 and 29, the USAID/OFDA Director traveled to Sudan to meet with the USAID/DART, the U.S. Embassy, U.N. and NGO partners, the AU, and representatives of the Government of Sudan (GOS) to discuss security, protection, food assistance, and programmatic issues in Sudan. According to the USAID/DART, the humanitarian community in South Darfurcontinues to emphasize that insecurity is likely to have an impact on humanitarian access in South Darfur, and thus humanitarian relief efforts, over the coming months.
Food Security
Despite an additional $8 million contribution currently in the under negotiation from USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP), WFP reported to the USAID/DART on March 29 that WFP is resorting to unusual measures to purchase non-cereal commodities in advance of pipeline breaks in August. Using a new system called the Business Process Review, WFP will borrow against anticipated cash contributions from other donors to fast-track non-cereals procurements. Depending on the procurement turnaround, however, WFP may need to resort to half-rations for non-cereals in June and July in order to “extend the riskâ€? of pipeline breaks and give more time for expected cash contributions to be confirmed. WFP noted that if the expected cash contributions are not confirmed by the end of April, the food operation will face significant risks.
During the month of March, WFP moved a record 50,000 metric tons (MT) of commodities to the three state capitals of Darfur. Actual distributions, however, are likely to fall short of planned targets due to the rise in security incidents in West and South Darfur during March. WFP currently has slightly more than a one-month stock of food in storage and plans to pre-position two months of food in West Darfur prior to the onset of the rainy season in May/June.
According to the USAID/DART, IDPs in Zam Zam camp, North Darfur, are growing vegetables using wastewater from nearby water points, on their own initiative. USAID/OFDA partner CHF International plans to re-organize the gardens at water points, provide inputs and extension support, and implement water-saving technologies.
Security
On March 28, the Office of the U.N. Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD) reported that the Nyala-Kass route was still declared “no go” following the shooting that seriously injured a USAID/DART member on March 22.
On March 25, OCHA reported that unknown perpetrators broke into the WFP compound in Geneina, West Darfur, and vandalized WFP communications equipment, but stole nothing. In response, the U.N. is augmenting security at the WFP compound, and local police are increasing patrols.
According to international media sources, on March 29, unidentified perpetrators fired upon an African Union (AU) convoy, wounding two AU peacekeepers and a Sudanese translator near the town of Niteaga, 50 km northwest of Nyala, South Darfur. All three are reportedly in stable condition, including one of the AU monitors who was shot in the neck and required surgery. Currently, a 2,000 member AU peacekeeping force is responsible for monitoring the April 2004 ceasefire agreement between the GOS and opposition groups in Darfur.
Drought Task Force
According to OCHA, preliminary findings from the Interagency North Darfur Drought Task Force indicate that 316,000 people in 220 villages are affected by drought in North Darfur. OCHA stressed the importance of providing food assistance before people begin migrating in search of food, resulting in further displacement.
U.N. Security Council Action
On March 29, the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 1591 imposing sanctions on individuals who commit atrocities or violate cease-fire agreements in Darfur. The measure, drafted by the U.S. Government, bans travel by individuals deemed guilty of offenses and freezes their assets. The resolution also forbids the GOS from conducting offensive military flights into Darfur and from sending military equipment without first notifying the U.N. Security Council. The sanctions are scheduled to come into effect in 30 days to allow a U.N. Security Council committee to draft a list of offenders.
On March 31, the U.N. Security Council voted to refer war crimes cases in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
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