June 2, 2012

Aid agency work halted in east Sudan



 
Seven foreign aid agencies working in east Sudan have had their operations halted for 30 days by the federal Sudanese government.

The aid and development groups concerned by this decision include Accord, Goal [Ireland], Triangle, save the Children [Sweden], Plan Sudan, Malo, a British demining group, and a Japanese aid
group. Several other non-governmental organizations [NGOs] are not affected.

Sometimes feeling threatened by the activities of NGOs, Sudan has a periodic history of ill-will toward aid agencies, having previously kicked out agencies in the east, and in Darfur. They are currently preventing aid agencies from delivering food in southern Kordovan, near the border with South Sudan.

Sudan faced international condemnation when it expelled 13 leading aid groups including Oxfam and the U.S. branch of Save the Children in March 2009, accusing them of passing information to the International Criminal Court.

From allafrica...

Khartoum — Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) has ordered seven foreign aid groups to suspend their humanitarian activities in eastern Sudan following the findings of an assessment study reporting infractions they allegedly committed.

Sudan's Humanitarian commissioner Suleiman Abdel Rahman on Thursday issued a decision ending the humanitarian activities of the seven aid groups in the three states of Eastern Sudan region: Kassala; Red Sea and Gadaref states.

The ban was based on a report prepared by a federal committee that conducted a field assessment of the projects implemented by these groups.

The aid groups concerned by this decision include Accord, Goal, Triangle, save the Children, Plan Sudan, Malo, a British demining group, and a Japanese aid group.

The officer of voluntary activities, at the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Ammar Bachari stated Thursday that foreign aid groups in eastern Sudan exceeded their license and roles. He further expected a decision by the Presidency of the Republic to expel it during the next few days.
However, HAC chief in his decision gave these groups one month to reconcile their position. If they fail the authorities will not renew their licenses and they have to stop their activities.

Earlier in May, addressing a rally organised in Port Sudan to provide support to the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) Sudanese presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie denounced call for the return of NGOs to South Kordofan and described them "trumpeters of conspiracy".

"Those who covet that foreign aid groups have a foothold in the East (Sudan) they should know there is no place for them," he further said.


Another article from Reuters.
Some agency sites with information about their work in Sudan...




http://plan-international.org/where-we-work/africa/sudan/where-we-work/kassala

http://www.goal.ie/Sudan/173

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150471/

http://www.trianglegh.org/English_TGH/html/Programmes/MissionsHumanitaire/Sudan/SudanREA_gb.html


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