Darfur / UNAMID Daily Media Brief

 

 

Darfur / UNAMID Daily Media Brief

 

EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, March 23, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Security Situation in Darfur

The security situation in Darfur remains calm; however banditry activities were reported.

Government of Sudan (GoS) police informed that there were reports of renewed fighting between the Fallata and Habbaniya tribesmen south of Buram on 20 March. This resulted in thirty people killed in a skirmish over a disputed water point.  

On 21 March, a UNAMID patrol received information from the Government of Sudan (GoS) Commander that GoS forces had attacked a Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid (SLA/AW) position in Kaura area, 45km from Kabkabiya, in North Darfur.

Armed men entered into an International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) warehouse in Al Salaam Internally Displaced Persons Camp in North Darfur on 21 March. Humanitarian Aid Commission and Government of Sudan (GoS) Police are investigating the incident.

UNAMID military forces conducted 25 confidence building patrols, 14 escort patrols, 9 night patrols and 2 Investigation patrols covering 59 villages/IDP camps. Similarly, UNAMID Police conducted 105 patrols in and around the villages and IDP Camps.

Meanwhile, UNAMID police continues to conduct courses designed for GoS officials throughout Darfur as part of its capacity building.

A
five-day training course was organized in Gender-based violence, Human Rights and Child Protection and Community Policing; the courses were attended by GoS Police force and held yesterday in El Fasher and Kabkabiya, in North Darfur.

On the same day, a five-day course was also organized in Criminal Investigation, designed for GoS police and held in Nyala, South Darfur.
       

In addition, another course in crime scene management began on 22 March in El Geneina,
West Darfur. The course was attended by GoS communication and Liaison officers as well as
training officers.

UNAMID Medal Parade

A medal parade was organized at UNAMID Headquarters in El Fasher today to decorate military personnel who have served a minimum of ninety-days in the Mission. The ceremony was attended by UNAMID Principal Deputy Joint Special Representative, Mr. Henry Anyidoho; Force Commander General Martin Luther Agwai; and other senior officials and UNAMID staff. The ceremony was also attended by the Deputy-Wali (Governor) of North Darfur, Mr. Idris Abdullah Hassan and the Government of Sudan Liaison Officer, Major General Mohi El-Din Abed.

Medals were presented to Military staff officers and troops of the Rwandan Battallion based in El Fasher.

UNMIS and UNAMID Force Commander visit South Darfur
United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) Force Commander, Major General Pagan Jung Thapa paid a one-day to UNAMID Headquarters yesterday. Upon arrival, Major General Thapa had a meeting with UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Mr. Rodolphe Adada and UNAMID Force Commander, General Martin Luther Agwai. They discussed issues of intermissions cooperation and collaboration.

Following the meeting, Major General Thapa and General Martin Luther Agwai, travelled to Nyala where they were received by UNAMID military senior officials. Upon arrival, they were briefed on UNAMID military operational situation, highlighting the achievements made and challenges and constraints. They were also briefed on the security situation in the region.  

During the visit, the delegation inspected the Pakistani Level III Hospital, Nepal Formed Police Unit and Chinese Engineering Company.

UNAMID continues to provide water to Zam Zam IDP Camp

UNAMID distributed 52,000 litres of water to the new arrivals at Zam Zam Internally Displaced Persons Camp yesterday as part of efforts to assist the new arrivals.

UNAMID has supplied a total of 495,000 litres of water to Zam Zam IDP Camp. Water distribution began on 11 March 2009, to support the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the area assisting the new arrivals at the camp. So far, UNAMID has been providing a total of 45,000 litres of water per day and intend to continue until a long term solution is found.

UNICEF, through its implementing partner Water and Environmental Sanitation Project (WES) and in support of Government of Sudan officials, has already dug nine shallow wells and drilled three boreholes as sources of water for the IDP Camp. It is planned to dig ten more wells, equipped with hand pumps, in and around the camp.

UNAMID JSR attends funeral of the First Lady of Gabon

UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Mr. Rodolphe Adada travelled to Libreville, Gabon, on 18 March, to represent the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, at the funeral of Gabon’s First Lady, Mrs. Edith Lucie Bongo Ondimba.

Mr. Adada presented letters of condolences from the Secretary-General to the President of the Republic of Congo, H.E. Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, father of the deceased, and to her husband, the President of the Republic of Gabon, H.E. El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba.

 

SOURCE : United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)