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WFP: Donors must dig deeper
11/09/2006 22:25 - (SA)
Khartoum - More than 350 000 people in Darfur have been cut off from food aid for three months because of increased fighting since a peace deal was signed in May, said the world food programme (WFP) on Monday.
UN officials have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur if the violence does not stop.
But Khartoum rejects a UN security council resolution passed last month to deploy more than 20 000 peacekeeping troops and police in Sudan's remote west.
Kenro Oshidari, head of WFP in Sudan, said: "Insecurity has cut off 355 000 people from food aid in August - all of them in North Darfur."
"Most of these people have now gone three entire months without our help.
Their situation is even more desperate because we're in the middle of the 'hunger season' - the period right before the harvest," said Oshidari.
Tens of thousands have been killed and 2.5 million forced from their homes in 3½ years of fighting.
Washington calls the rape, murder and looting in Darfur genocide, a charge Khartoum rejects.
People forced to survive on reduced ration
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating alleged war crimes in Darfur.
Fighting has escalated with observers accusing the government of a new offensive to wipe out rebels who oppose the May deal, signed by only one of three negotiating rebel factions.
More than three million people in Darfur are dependent on aid in the vast region the size of France.
More than 14 000 aid workers try to help them, the world's largest aid operation.
WFP said it needed donors to give cash.
So far this year it has received 78% of the $746m (about R5.5bn) needed this year.
It added people in the region would be forced to survive on reduced rations if more money was not donated quickly.
- Reuters
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