Christian relief and development agency Tearfund welcomes as hugely significant the signing of peace accords between the government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), but is concerned that comprehensive peace in Sudan is not possible without also addressing the ongoing conflict in the Western region of Darfur.
The peace accord signed on Wednesday concluded several years of peace negotiations hosted by the Kenyan government and put aside decades of disagreement as the two sides reached agreement on how to share power within a transitional government.
Fighting in Sudan has raged intermittently for nearly 50 years. Since 1983 the civil war in the south of the country has claimed approximately two million lives and forced four million from their homes. But according to organizations like Human Rights Watch, a further one million people are currently displaced within the Darfur region of West Sudan and 120,000 have fled to neighbouring Chad as hundreds of villages have been systematically attacked, possessions looted and agricultural fields scorched.
“We have worked and prayed for peace in Sudan for many years and are delighted about the signing of the peace accord,” comments Ian Wallace, Tearfund International Operations Director. “We will continue to monitor the process to ensure that it is worked out in practice and to ensure that the troubled regions of the south enjoy the benefits of peace. It is crucial that the root causes of conflict in Sudan are addressed, and we remain deeply concerned about the current conflict in Darfur where the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating."
A Tearfund assessment team recently returned from northern Sudan and a Disaster Management Advisor has joined Tearfund partners in Chad, as increasing numbers of refugees are fleeing the reported killings and human rights abuses.
Tearfund partner, Projet Evangelique Développement Communautaire (PEDC) has been responding to the needs of refugees in Chad in the Breidjing refugee camp, where it has already dug five wells, is building 300 latrines and putting up 1,200 tents. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 refugees will be cared for at Breidjing. Bastian De Vos, Tearfund’s Disaster Management Advisor, will be working with PEDC and Tearfund’s principle partner in Chad, the Evangelical Alliance of Chad (EEMET) as they seek to respond to the ongoing needs of the refugees.
Access to affected people in Darfur and Chad remains a major concern for humanitarian agencies and with the rainy season about to begin this access will become significantly more difficult.
“The scale of this conflict remains largely hidden from the world’s eyes, but the suffering of ordinary people is in no way lessened because of the lack of media exposure,” comments David Bainbridge, Tearfund’s Operations Manager and a member of the assessment team. “The humanitarian situation in Darfur and Chad is deteriorating rapidly, with those displaced by the conflict now living in camps with poor access to adequate food, safe water, basic sanitation and health services, and with malnutrition increasing at an alarming rate. Insecurity has severely hampered attempts by aid agencies to gain access to rural areas and reach all the people in need. It is clear that every effort must be made to address the immediate needs of those affected by this conflict, support long term recovery, and find lasting solutions for the region.”