According to a recent USAID report: "Bandits and other armed assailants continue to target humanitarian workers throughout Darfur. On March 19, OCHA reported that, since January, 3 humanitarian staff have been killed, 3 have been injured, and 55 have been kidnapped. Since January, relief agencies have reported 61 hijackings of humanitarian vehicles and 3 attacks on relief convoys. According to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP), 36 WFP-contracted trucks and 24 drivers remain missing. On March 24, unidentified gunmen killed a WFP-contracted driver and seriously injured the driver’s assistant on the road to Nyala, South Darfur. On April 1, WFP-contracted drivers blocked a main road north of Nyala to protest the deteriorating security situation and demand additional security measures for contracted humanitarian vehicles.
On March 20, unidentified assailants attacked a GNU Office of Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES) team of engineers in North Darfur. The bandits abducted nine GNU WES team members, hijacked four vehicles, and stole a drilling rig used to construct boreholes that provide safe drinking water for area residents. The U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which provides support for GNU WES water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in Darfur, strongly condemned the attacks. The bandits released the GNU WES staff, but the drilling equipment, valued at $1 million, remains missing, delaying work on 110 water points in Darfur." I am glad to know this now and not back when I was first going over there. Please pray for my friends and fellow laborers who are still in vulnerable areas around Darfur, especially CIC workers Sam Kpamika and Julia and PPF workers who are still in Jaach.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Monday, April 7, 2008
For Your Information
Last week I was interviewed by a man from the local newspaper - the Chattanooga Times Free Press. It was a bit unclear at the time the purpose of interview, but you can find the article here. It is an interesting piece - I sincerely hope that through reading this more people are made awa
re of the struggle in Darfur, and even further that it becomes a jumping off point for further discussions about the uniqueness of the situation in Darfur and what can be done to end the violence.
I am reminded of how the simplest of actions can make such a resounding impact - like the necklaces that GPS sent with me into Jaach. These simple beaded necklaces were instigated by an incredible student at GPS who wanted to do "something" for the people in Darfur. There is no way she could have known at the time the impact her simple decision, but by caring enough to organize the school to make these necklaces she and every student who participated gave a symbol to the refugees in Jaach that they were not forgotten. These necklaces were received with joy and excitement by the men, women, and children of Jaach because they knew that even though they have lost everything, someone cares.
re of the struggle in Darfur, and even further that it becomes a jumping off point for further discussions about the uniqueness of the situation in Darfur and what can be done to end the violence.I am reminded of how the simplest of actions can make such a resounding impact - like the necklaces that GPS sent with me into Jaach. These simple beaded necklaces were instigated by an incredible student at GPS who wanted to do "something" for the people in Darfur. There is no way she could have known at the time the impact her simple decision, but by caring enough to organize the school to make these necklaces she and every student who participated gave a symbol to the refugees in Jaach that they were not forgotten. These necklaces were received with joy and excitement by the men, women, and children of Jaach because they knew that even though they have lost everything, someone cares.
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