Khartoum, 27 March 2014. - Joint statement attributable to the UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative, Mr. Joseph Mutaboba, and the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Mr Ali Al-Za’tari, on increasing violence affecting civilians in Darfur and the growing constraints on the international community’s ability to help those affected:

We express deep concern at the increasing violence in Darfur. In the last month, a wave of violence has been underway in Darfur, affecting tens of thousands of people. Since the beginning of 2014, more than 215,000 people in Darfur have been displaced from their homes. Many people in Darfur have no choice but to flee their homes in fear. 

It is particularly troubling that, in the face of this violence, the UN and the humanitarian community at large are being increasingly constrained from helping the majority of those affected. Due to the access restrictions and security constraints placed upon humanitarian agencies, even monitoring the numbers of people who have been displaced from their homes is increasingly challenging.

Enormous amounts of humanitarian need are being generated by this violence, but our ability to assess the condition of people who have been affected by the conflict and deliver to them the aid that they need has been severely hampered.

We call upon the Government of Sudan and all actors and parties involved in the conflict and the international community to take robust measures to ensure the protection of civilians and unimpeded access of aid workers in Darfur.