UN Sounds Alarm Over Malnutrition in Darfur

"We want to sound the alarm. We must do everything to stop this deterioration," said UNICEF's representative for Sudan Ted Chaiban, Reuters reported.

"We are seeing the beginning of what could be a reverse of the positive trend of 2005."

The UN official said the ongoing fighting has forced more 200,000 people to flee their homes in the last three months alone.

"In any other country that would be front-page news," said Chaiban.

An estimated 670,000 people have fled their homes since the beginning of the conflict in 2003 while 110,000 others reportedly sought refuge in neighboring Chad.

The conflict began when rebels from black African tribes took up arms, complaining of discrimination and oppression by the Khartoum government.

The government is accused of unleashing Arab tribal militia known as the Janjaweed against civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson.

The United Nations maintains that the Darfur conflict is causing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis at present.

Blocking Aid

Chaiban said the ongoing fighting has blocked access for humanitarian agencies in the region, with about one-third of all displaced people cut off from aid.

"We don’t have the resources to buy nutritional supplies," he added.

"It’s a double jeopardy to have lack of security, lack of access, and now lack of funding."

UNICEF had so far received only $15 million of the $89 million sought for this year and was being forced to cut back on some of programs.

The African Union proposed on Tuesday, April 25, a draft peace deal to the Khartoum government and the Darfur rebels during peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria.

The 85-page document covers the three areas of security, power-sharing and wealth-sharing that are key to solving the two-decade conflict.

It would envisage integration of some of the rebel forces into the Sudanese armed forces during the transition, while disarming others.

Under the deal, the government would have to disarm the Janjaweed.

The two sides have a deadline until Sunday to make their responses.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday ordered financial and travel sanctions against a former Sudanese air force commander, a Janjaweed leader and two rebel leaders over rights violation in the troubled region.

The resolution, sponsored by the US and Britain, was adopted by a 12-0 vote with three abstentions – Russia, China and Qatar.

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