Page 24 - DIVA_No.24_2006

prognosis is not very good.
raped or abused. You cannot
shaky. You still have armed
times going up to even
I. can average 45°C, some- In Darfur, I must say the authority so the situation is their lives through being
expect young women and
The situation has deteriorated
militia walking around with
50°C.
mothers to continue to suffer
weapons. If there is no local
over the last couple of
Together with the other months. We were more opti- authority you do not have in this way. I think that suffi-
agencies, where we have mistic in the middle of 2005 anybody to work or cooper- cient pressure should be
resources, we provide them than we are today. ate with. We cannot under- placed on the different parties
with shelter, and make sure take programming and bring to reach an agreement and to
that they have access to For the rest of the country, some relief to the region. sign it.
water, health services, edu- we have to look at it situation
cation for the children, etc. by situation. Remember, Q: Do you personally After that, we must help in the
Our main service, however, Sudan is as big as ten differ- remain optimistic? building of Sudanese society,
is to make sure that they are ent countries. infrastructure, systems and
not moved to places where For the immediate future capacities to ensure that the
they do not have access to In Eastern Sudan, for and with respect to South risk of armed conflict in
these services—where they instance, there has been some Sudan I remain optimistic. Sudan is minimised. Human
are unable to look after violence recently. This result- For Darfur we will have to Rights although a cliché - is
themselves. ed in more insecurity con- wait and see - but certainly a sine qua non for this to hap-
tributing to a potential for a the Sudanese parties have it pen. No population or regions
We are not responsible for larger crisis. Hopefully, this in their power to come to should be marginalized.
looking after the popula- will be peacefully and effec- agreement. Obviously, we Eastern Sudan is among the
tion—that is the task of the tively resolved. can only hope and to contin- poorest areas in Africa - it
government. People should ue to pray that this becomes should be and is a priority for
have the means to look after In South Sudan there has a reality assisting the vul- support. If people feel mar-
themselves. Our job is to been progress after the Peace nerable where we can ginalized, the risk that they
make sure that the govern- Agreement. There is opti- throughout this period. The take up arms increases.
ment accepts this responsi- mism; people are free to problem is that the belliger-
bility and then carries it out. move around, there is more ents may continue the status I know that your readership
security. Optimism is a posi- quo, but at the end of the day includes a lot of UN staff, and
Q: How do You cope with tive sign as it helps people to the people who are suffering if there is something I would
seeing all the suffering start long-term planning and the most are the civilians. like to stress it is this: We join
among the people? to have a vision about their We have to make sure that the UN because of the cause
future. Some IDPs are return- there is a strong political more than the job. This is
It is difficult. I think empa- ing home—not in great num- agreement; otherwise you probably more evident here in
thy is very important. This bers because the situation will have 3 million vulnera- the field when you are closer
is not a 9-to-5 job. Here, there remains tense. South ble people in Darfur who to those you are trying to help
everybody is working long Sudan is not like Khartoum. will continue to suffer. We than at headquarters. Here the
hours, at least twelve hours They do not have anything— do not want the situation in staff work and live in difficult
a day. Some staff members there is no water, a very poor Darfur to be like the situa- conditions in the middle of
work even longer, and often health situation, no school- tion in South Sudan where the bush, sleeping in tents.
on our weekends. On ing. You may have the worst IDPs have existed for more There are mosquitoes; snakes,
Thursday and Friday (which indicators in the whole of than twenty years—the war no electricity, problems with
is our Saturday and Sunday) Africa. So people have to between the North and the water etc. They stay there for
you will find many in the consider the situation when South started there in 1983. six or twelve months at a
office working. The conse- they move back home with These people must have the time.
quences are stress, fatigue, their families. possibility of returning
exasperation - however, home in security and safety. This is the best way to under-
empathy helps us to under- And then you have situations stand the mission and the val-
stand the desperate plight of like Abyei, which is a transi- Q: fft'ou have a ,nessagefbr ues of the United Nations. I
vulnerable Sudanese and tion area. It is a unique situa- the international communi- would urge people working
carry us through knowing tion within the CPA. There what would it he? in the headquarters to spend
that if we manage to help has been a Commission to some time working in the
even one family we can look at the border of Abyei, I would say today—Darfur field to see more of what the
make a small difference. and we await a decree to first. You have to make sure UN is all about.
decide which part belongs to that there is an agreement, as
Q: What do think will hap- the South and which part to there are far too many peo- There is a very deep, reward-
pen in the coming months? the North. The report of the ple who have lost every- ing feeling to be working
Is O('HA going to reduce or Commission is under review thing. In the camps there are here.
increase its presence here? right now. mainly women and children.
What are your .feelings Every time they go out to
about the whole situation? In Abyei there is no local fetch firewood, they risk

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