22 February 2007 -- Recent attacks by government forces and armed militia on the Western Darfur villages of Abu Suruj, Sirba and Silia are leaving a trail of destruction, displacement and civilian casualties.   In Jebel Moon, North of El Geneina there is still no reliable count for civilian casualties, but with fighting still ongoing numbers look set to rise over the next few days. Civilians displaced by the initial fighting are believed to have been caught in the cross-fire.

UNAMID and humanitarian agencies still lack access to the Jebel Moon area. The peacekeeping mission has communicated to the government its concerns for the safety of civilians and is seeking safe passage for humanitarian relief in Jebel Moon.

Meanwhile, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ameerah Haq, escorted by UNAMID peacekeepers, led a team of UN humanitarian agencies to Sirba on Thursday, to further coordinate the response to the humanitarian crisis in the affected areas North of Genina. The following are comments she made to a UNAMID reporter accompanying the mission:

“Ameera Haq: I have been reading a lot of reports about what has been happening…..to come here and see what has happened and to get a sense from the people about the utter destruction of their lives, particularly speaking to women who lost their children – who do not know where their children are – that brings the stark reality of what has happened.

In that sense, all the reports that one has been reading suddenly become very real. This was important for me and for all the heads of UN humanitarian agencies I brought with me here today.

As I was telling the Sheikhs, what we can do is, at least for the moment, we can provide some humanitarian relief for the situation they find themselves facing right now; providing food shelter, medical assistance.

But the clear message obviously is that what the people really want is protection.

They are looking for security. The ability to provide that - whether from the government or the international community – is still a long way away.

I think that the people are clearly frustrated and they told me it has been five years since they have been asking for this and we have not been able to respond and we see the results of where we are now.

I think a situation like this just means donor capitals and Khartoum and everyone must realize that troop deployment has to take place very rapidly.

We all realize the constraints that UNAMID is in with the present strength of its troops on the ground.

This clearly means that one more battalion would be so great because at least they could provide some element of security.

So I really think we should work closely, the international community, the government, to make this deployment quick.

As the people were saying [to me], even for women to go down to the Wadi to bring firewood, they face assault and girls are being raped. So, even the simplest escorts and patrols, through the civilian police or the forces that kind of security is absolutely vital and we should put all our energy into providing that.

If UNAMID continues to lack the necessary resources to fulfill its mandate, the people will continue to be vulnerable and exposed to the types of attacks that have happened here in Sirba, with houses being burnt down, children disappearing, girls being raped…

This will continue and the story will repeat itself. In village after village the destruction will spread.

What struck me is how stunned the population is and how stunned they are in their grief.

That is all quite sobering for us.”