18 July 2010 - Leaders of the Sudan Liberation Army - Minni Minnawi (SLA-MM) faction in South Darfur have yesterday promised to help ensure the safety of humanitarian workers operating in the state.

The statement came at a meeting at the SLA-MM headquarters in Nyala, South Darfur, with representatives of UNAMID’s Human Rights component, who urged them to contribute significantly to enhancing security in the state, particularly the safety of aid workers, and to allow UNAMID unhindered access to all areas under their control.

The meeting was called after a threat was made on 12 July by locals from Abragel village, a hosting community in South Darfur, who identified themselves as SLA-MM. The community threatened not to allow any humanitarian convoys to pass through their village, if aid wasn’t distributed to people in their area as well.

The SLA-MM representatives promised to take action against those who made the threats and assured the Mission that, as signatories to the 2005 Darfur Peace Agreement, they would help ensure the safety of aid workers in their areas.

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Mayada Umbadda, Media Relations; umbadda@un.org, mobile: +249 (0) 91 250 1966