New York, Jul 24 2011 6:10PM
The United Nations humanitarian chief today voiced concern at the dwindling stocks of aid for people caught up in the recent fighting engulfing Sudan's region of Southern Kordofan, warning the consequences will be grave unless aid workers are allowed in to replenish supplies.
"Children, elderly people and mothers risk hunger," said Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, in a statement.
Thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and an unknown number of others killed since fighting erupted in early June between Sudanese Government forces and those of the northern wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-N), which fought the long-running civil war that ended in 2005.
Top UN officials have spoken out about mounting allegations of mass graves, the forced disappearances of civilians, extra
-judicial killings and ethnically targeted attacks.
In her statement today Ms. Amos said she was concerned about supplies in the areas of Southern Kordofan, which lies inside Sudan but borders the newly independent South Sudan, that are held by the SPLM-N.
"Humanitarian partners, who were in these areas before the conflict erupted, have distributed emergency aid including food and basic medicines to over 70,000 people in mountainous areas of Southern Kordofan state," she said.
"However, I am concerned about how people will cope when the emergency food ration they have received runs out. Ongoing conflict has prevented them from planting and they may continue to rely on emergency food assistance that humanitarian agencies have been providing."
Ms. Amos -- who urged all sides to the conflict to allow aid to be brought in -- stressed that if humanitarian agencies continue to be denied access, "they will not be able to take stock of the remaining humanitarian supplies nor assess how mu
ch is necessary in order to respond to the needs of vulnerable civilians."
Jul 24 2011 6:10PM
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