22 December 2004

Save The Children Perserveres In Darfur, Despite Withdrawal Of Lead Agency

Save the Children will maintain a presence in Sudan’s Darfur province despite the withdrawal of its lead agency Save the Children UK, said Executive Director of Save the Children New Zealand John Bowis today.

Save the Children UK announced last night that it has ceased its programmes in North and South Darfur due to security concerns. These programmes have catered for the basic needs of approximately 250,000 displaced children and their families.

“We hope this will not be a permanent withdrawal,” said Mr Bowis. “Save the Children is endeavouring to continue its work in West Darfur though our US and Swedish colleagues, and we would expect Save the Children UK to return to Darfur once the security situation has stabilised.”

“We will always be motivated by the humanitarian needs of children, but at the same time we must put in place provisions to protect staff from indiscriminate violence.”

Save the Children UK has lost four staff members in two separate incidents over the past two months.
Director-General of Save the Children UK Mike Aaronson said staff have also experienced a series of extremely serious additional security incidents. “We just cannot continue to expose our staff to the unacceptable risks they face as they go about their humanitarian duties,” he said.

Save the Children New Zealand will continue to send donations to the International Save the Children Alliance emergency programme in Darfur, which focuses on food distribution, health, child protection
and education.

ENDS

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