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Eastern Chad too dangerous for aid workers: OCHA
Serious acts of banditry in eastern Chad over the last two weeks are jeopardizing the continuity of humanitarian operations, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced on Friday.
MINURCAT Peacekeepers
OCHA says over the last two weeks, a member of the ICRC international staff has been kidnapped while a national staff working with NGO Solidarite has been killed.
OCHA's spokesperson, Elizabeth Byrs says the number of incidents has doubled since 2008 and both the government of Chad and the UN mission in Chad, MINURCAT are working to increase security for humanitarian workers.
"MINURCAT has increased its air patrols with helicopter flights in the areas where the humanitarians operate. MINURCAT has also increased patrols in Abeche. They are also focusing on arresting people that have been identified to organize crimes in and around Abeche and MINURCAT continues to offer escort to humanitarians who accept - it is up to the NGO or organization to decide whether or not they would like to be escorted."
To date, five NGOs and the ICRC have temporarily suspended their activities in the east. The suspension affects over 37,000 people who depend on relief assistance in the region.
Byrs says the withdrawal is temporary and operations will resume as soon as the security situation permits.
The humanitarian community, she adds, has contingency plans to ensure assistance in vital sectors, even if more NGOs withdraw.
Eastern Chad is served by over 70 humanitarian organizations providing assistance to Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons.
Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations
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