Darfur teetering "on the verge of mass starvation"
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《英国医生杂志》
London
The threat of famine is looming in the Darfur region of western Sudan, warns Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), whose recent study shows "dangerously high levels of malnutrition and mortality with a rapidly deteriorating food security situation."
The onset of rains in Darfur is causing problems for aid access
Credit: PETER MOSZYNSKI
The United Nations says that over two million people are now affected by the crisis, and MSF warns that "the whole population is teetering on the verge of mass starvation."
The charity's report cites a nutritional survey conducted in Wadi Saleh and Mukjar provinces that found that a fifth of children aged under 5 years had acute malnutrition.
About 5% of the under 5s in the families surveyed had died in the past three months. MSF said: "These levels of mortality are well in excess of death rates defined as an emergency."
There was also "massive excess mortality in those over 5 with 60% of all deaths reported due to war trauma—and further excess death from malaria and diarrhoea. These results show an extreme level of needs in Darfur caused by violence, hunger and vulnerability to simple diseases."
Jean de Cambry, the charity's field coordinator, said: "The situation is very dangerous, especially for the many children and adults who are already malnourished. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the sanitation facilities are currently totally inadequate in most of the refugee camps. In one of them, there is one latrine per 400 refugees. This is 20 times greater than the international standard."
MSF warns that the whole population faces the threat of starvation in the very near future unless substantial food distributions can be organised: "As the entire population is further weakened by hunger, they will only become more vulnerable to disease. The threats of malaria and diarrhoeal diseases will only further increase with the onset of rains. The death and suffering is set to escalate to catastrophic proportions."
The organisation complains that relief workers continue to be obstructed, whereas the militias responsible for the crisis remain unhindered by the government of Sudan: "In spite of government of Sudan promises to expedite the provision of assistance, bureaucratic barriers placed in front of aid agencies significantly inhibit immediate action. In addition, the GOS has not taken action to stop violence against civilians."
Another new report, by the International Crisis Group, a Brussels based think tank, warns that huge numbers could die: "What UN officials have already called the worst humanitarian situation in the world today could claim an additional 350,000 in the next nine months, mainly from starvation and disease. Many more will die if the direct killing is not stopped."
The report also says: "Urgent international action is required on several fronts if `Darfur 2004' is not to join `Rwanda 1994' as shorthand for international shame."(Peter Moszynski)
The threat of famine is looming in the Darfur region of western Sudan, warns Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), whose recent study shows "dangerously high levels of malnutrition and mortality with a rapidly deteriorating food security situation."
The onset of rains in Darfur is causing problems for aid access
Credit: PETER MOSZYNSKI
The United Nations says that over two million people are now affected by the crisis, and MSF warns that "the whole population is teetering on the verge of mass starvation."
The charity's report cites a nutritional survey conducted in Wadi Saleh and Mukjar provinces that found that a fifth of children aged under 5 years had acute malnutrition.
About 5% of the under 5s in the families surveyed had died in the past three months. MSF said: "These levels of mortality are well in excess of death rates defined as an emergency."
There was also "massive excess mortality in those over 5 with 60% of all deaths reported due to war trauma—and further excess death from malaria and diarrhoea. These results show an extreme level of needs in Darfur caused by violence, hunger and vulnerability to simple diseases."
Jean de Cambry, the charity's field coordinator, said: "The situation is very dangerous, especially for the many children and adults who are already malnourished. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the sanitation facilities are currently totally inadequate in most of the refugee camps. In one of them, there is one latrine per 400 refugees. This is 20 times greater than the international standard."
MSF warns that the whole population faces the threat of starvation in the very near future unless substantial food distributions can be organised: "As the entire population is further weakened by hunger, they will only become more vulnerable to disease. The threats of malaria and diarrhoeal diseases will only further increase with the onset of rains. The death and suffering is set to escalate to catastrophic proportions."
The organisation complains that relief workers continue to be obstructed, whereas the militias responsible for the crisis remain unhindered by the government of Sudan: "In spite of government of Sudan promises to expedite the provision of assistance, bureaucratic barriers placed in front of aid agencies significantly inhibit immediate action. In addition, the GOS has not taken action to stop violence against civilians."
Another new report, by the International Crisis Group, a Brussels based think tank, warns that huge numbers could die: "What UN officials have already called the worst humanitarian situation in the world today could claim an additional 350,000 in the next nine months, mainly from starvation and disease. Many more will die if the direct killing is not stopped."
The report also says: "Urgent international action is required on several fronts if `Darfur 2004' is not to join `Rwanda 1994' as shorthand for international shame."(Peter Moszynski)