Message 131 VA
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> N°131 / August-September 2004 / Médecins Sans Frontières’ newsletter MISSIONS SUDAN DARFUR Cries for Help P1 ETHIOPIA Towards a post-mortem intervention? P7 FRANCE Reform of the AME P9 DOSSIER AGM 2004 - Excerpts from the Annual Report P10 - The 2003 accounts P15 DEBATES - April 2004 © [email protected] DARFUR/SUDAN - Afghanistan : humanitaria- nism under attack P20 - Arjan Erkel : Political kidnapping and > Darfur-Mornay Cries for Help official lies P22 - War crimes « in the shadow of just wars »P24 MSF/June 2004/ Excerpt from « Emergency in Darfur, Sudan: No relief in sight » Number 131 - The integration of After a killing spree from September 2003 until national staff P26 February 2004, there is continued violence and The ‘victims of catastrophes’ to whom severe aid shortages in Darfur, Sudan. Current relief we provide assistance, as stated in our Charter, often suffer violence orches- operations fall dramatically short of the massive trated by their governments. Humani- needs and will not prevent an entirely man-made RESOURCES tarianism, although far removed from famine. Focus on Mornay Camp, West Darfur State: any political programme, can find - Exhibition itself in conflict with authorities, “Acteurs d’urgence” P29 whether official or rebel, in its attempt - Portrait : The 80,000 displaced Sudanese > VIOLENCE AND FEAR to provide impartial assistance to Ismaël Fouad P30 civilians living in Mornay camp had populations who are in danger as a fled from 111 villages throughout The killers primarily targeted men, result of their leaders. In such - Vacancies P40 West Darfur State that had been who accounted for three out of contexts we must do our utmost to looted and burnt to the ground by every four deaths. Women and provide these populations access to pro-government militias, with the children were also killed, with more assistance. FROM THE FIELD vast majority of people arriving than 75% of the deaths among A path of destruction P32 between September 2003 and women and 50% of the deaths In the same spirit, but in a broader February 2004. According to a recent among children due to violence. context, we have decided to embark on survey carried out by Médecins Sans Survival for many of the weakest the battle for access to essential Frontières (MSF) and Epicentre, one children and elderly today depends medicines for all. It is indeed a battle, out of every 20 people, or 5% of the on traumatized and exhausted as here too we are often in conflict INFOS original population of these villages, mothers and girls while essential with numerous powers. Nobody has was killed in such attacks. While this survival items like food, drinking given us a mandate for this. It is up to Watch and read P34 Press review P35 average is appalling, particularly water and shelters are distributed us to know how to act and follow our ferocious large-scale killings irregularly and in insufficient Charter wisely, putting aside all Hommage occurred in 11 villages between quantities. Up to 200 people already naivety or saintliness, in the interest to Nicolas Nathan P39 November 2003 and February 2004. die every month in Mornay from and respect of our patients. ■ violent acts, starvation, and disease. while only half that amount seems to water needs have far outstripped the People continue to live in perpetual arrive in West Darfur. village’s capacity. MSF distributes fear of new killings and rapes because 500,000 liters of drinking water per MISSION the same militiamen who conducted The ongoing attacks around the day, or five to seven liters/person/day, the scorched-earth attacks on their camps make people entirely which is well short of the minimum SUDAN/DARFUR villages control the periphery of dependent on external aid that is standard of 20 liters/day to meet all Mornay camp. The men who survived inadequate and irregular. Because of needs. Water shortages have led to the initial killing spree cannot leave acute shortages of food, one child of interminable lines at distribution > TIMELINE without risking death, while women every five in Mornay suffers from ramps, adding considerably to the who dare venture out to gather items acute malnutrition. MSF has treated workload of girls and women. MSF/July 2004/ like wood and grass have been nearly 5,000 children in feeding Aurélie Grémaud exposed to beatings and rapes. Nearly centers – 1,000 for severe acute Latrines are rare in the camp because 14% of the 132 victims of violence malnutrition and 4,000 for moderate geologic conditions make them 25 February 2003. treated by medical teams from MSF acute malnutrition. Since early 2004, difficult to build. In a few days, or An insurrection begins over the last nine weeks were victims the camp’s residents have received, on weeks at most, heavy rains will begin in Darfur of sexual violence. Because of cultural average, less than 1,000 kcal/day, not and excrement will flow across the . 25 April 2003. Rebels occupy El Fasher airport (State capital of North Darfur), capture a general and destroy several military planes. June 2003. MSF - First application for a travel permit. 3 September 2003. A ceasefire is signed in Abeche, with the President of Chad as an intermediary. October 2003. MSF - First exploratory mission. 16 December 2003. War resumes throughout Darfur. Mid-December 2003. MSF - Opening of emergency > Darfur, a destroyed village © [email protected] - April 2004 programmes in Nyala, Mornay, and Zalingei. mores, many cases of rape have most even half of the 2,500 kcal daily ration entire site. Mortality from diarrhea, likely gone unreported. needed to survive. The World Food which today represents one-third of January 2004. Program (WFP) distributed a half- the deaths, will only increase. The government army launches > DIFFICULT ASSISTANCE ration in February, a complete ration land and air attacks on in late April and another in mid-June The shelters are pitiful as well. The numerous villages in Darfur, People also wait in vain for assistance 2004, but the distributions lacked recent distribution of one sheet of forcing over 100,000 people to while there is little to suggest it will critical micronutrients like iron, plastic per family of five will not flee to neighbouring Chad. arrive in time and in quantities sufficient vitamins B1 and B2, and niacin. In prevent respiratory infections, always to prevent large-scale calamity. To feed order to better protect children under one of the leading causes of death for 15 January 2004. people in Mornay alone would require five, three times MSF has distributed children living in such conditions, from MSF- Press Release (PR): 1,200 tons of food every month. 15,000 rations that increase every increasing. “After the forced closure of the Transport alone would require 80 family member’s food rations by 25%. Nyala camps by the Sudanese roundtrips every month on sandy roads And given that rainwater tends to authorities, MSF expressed with trucks designed to carry 10 tons > LACK OF stagnate in such terrain, mosquito concern about the fate of these carrying 15. As the rainy season begins, INFRASTRUCTURES breeding sites will likely swell. The populations.” the roads will be even more difficult to seasonal malaria peak, well known to navigate. Meeting the food needs of all Until December 2003, Mornay was a the region’s residents and doctors, will of West Darfur’s 600,000 displaced village of 5,000 people. With the arrival inevitably bring severe anemia and persons would require 300 tons a day of 75,000 displaced people, drinking death to children as well as adults. P2 messages MSF N°131 Aug-Sept 2004 Since February 2004, 15,000 children Darfur where aid is being deployed, under the age of five, or 95%, have been but the assistance is still inadequate. MSF’S ACTIVITIES vaccinated against measles. MSF Many officials, both Sudanese and teams conducted 15,000 medical foreign, have visited and often cite the MSF has been working in Darfur since December 2003. consultations with 400 hospitalizations. camp as an example of an effective aid Today, 100 international volunteers and nearly 2,000 Sudanese staff provide But this only represents a small response. Each visit brings promises medical and nutritional care in areas with more than 400,000 displaced fraction of the medical needs. Because of protection and assistance, but people. Medical teams conduct medical consultations and hospitalisation, there is not enough medical and people are still waiting desperately for treat victims of violence, care for severely and moderately malnourished paramedical staff, only one-third of the promises to translate into action. children, and provide water, blanket feedings and other essential items in pediatric consultations and an even In several instances, official visits have Mornay, Zalingei, Nyertiti, Kerenik, El Genina, Garsila, Deleig, Mukjar, smaller fraction of adult consultations yielded grotesquely staged aid Bindisi, and Um Kher in West Darfur State; Kalma Camp near Nyala and have been carried out. operations, with the objective of Kass in South Darfur State; and Kebkabiya in North Darfur State. MSF also satisfying the visitors’ political and continues to assess areas throughout Darfur. > PRESSURES public relations needs. After the Additional teams provide assistance to Sudanese who have sought refuge in AND PROMISES intense violence to which people have Chad in Adre, Birak and Tine, Iriba and Guereda. been subjected, many in Mornay perceive the ongoing attacks, food represent less than 10% of people national and international levels. As In a few days, or weeks at most, shortages, and threats of renewed displaced by a war waged against presently designed, the relief heavy rains will begin and displacement as the continuation of a civilians in Darfur. The events directly operation falls dramatically short of excrement will flow across the policy aimed at destroying them as a affect an estimated 1 million people the needs and will not succeed in entire site.