Sudan keeps aid from refugees, rebels say

A SUDANESE rebel leader yesterday charged that, despite agreeing to do so, Sudan was not serious about humanitarian aid in insurgentcontrolled areas in two border states and was putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.

Fighting since last year in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states bordering on newly independent South Sudan, has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee, the United Nations (UN) and aid groups say.

Relief agencies say fighting has reduced harvests and that people could face serious food shortages.

Sudan, under pressure from the international community, said last month it had accepted a plan drawn up by the UN, the African Union and the Arab League to secure delivery of aid to both areas, a proposal it had earlier rejected.

Yasir Arman, secretary-general of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North, dismissed the move as insincere.

“It is just a gimmick, it is buying time. They are putting up a lot of obstacles. They want to subject and link humanitarian operations with the political agreement.”

Khartoum says it has the humanitarian situation under control but that rebel attacks are preventing aid from reaching other areas. Sudanese information official Rabie Abdelati said the rebels were the ones attacking civilians. “The aid will not be provided to these areas until the rebels stop attacking these areas,” he said. Reuters