Lack of security is a growing threat to humanitarian operations in Darfur, according to the World Food Program. The UN agency wants to expand food distribution in the coming months, although aid workers and displaced people are at greater risk of attack.
Barry Came is a WFP spokesman. From Khartoum, he spoke to English to Africa reporter Joe De Capua about the status of operations in the wake of the rainy season. He says, ?The rains have come and gone, by and large. As of September 20th, we dispatched food sufficient to feed 750,000 of Darfur?s most vulnerable people. So that raises the prospect that we will probably meet or come close to meeting our September target of 1.2 million.?
As for the greatest threat to food distribution, Mr. Came says, ?To be frank, the main problem now is security now that the rains have come and gone. The security situation is very unstable, particularly in North Darfur and South Darfur. Earlier this month we had a driver and his assistant shot at. On three levels, there are clashes or incidents between the government of Sudan and Sudanese Liberation army units. There?s resurgence of the old inter-tribal conflicts and then there?s sheer banditry going on.?
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