SUDAN is passing through a critical phase in its history due to the various issues surrounding Darfur: the rebellion in Darfur, IDP camps, human rights situation, ICC indictment of the President of Sudan, and expulsion of NGOs. As a member of the British Muslim Initiative for Peace and Rehabilitation delegation under the leadership of Lord Nazir Ahmad, I went to Khartoum and Niyala, the capital of South Darfur in the first week of April. The total area of South Darfur is 139,000 square kilometres and the total population is four million. South Darfur has three universities, 200 secondary schools and 1,300 elementary schools. The state has an international airport and a railway system. There are 16 civil administrations where all tribes are represented. The state is suitable for farming and it has animal resources that make up to 25 percent of the total in the country. Two-thirds of the state has borders with Chad, Central and West Africa. Rebellion started in North Darfur in 2003 and came to the South later on, according to the governor of South Darfur. It is an extension. The total number of IDPs (Internally Displaced People) in the whole of Darfur is about 600,000, out of which 250,000 are in camps in South Darfur. Over 100 NGOs in Darfur According to the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs of Sudan, 188 International NGOs are registered in Sudan, working in Darfur states, Khartoum state, southern and other states of Sudan. Three states of Darfur host 118 NGOs from East, West and other parts of the world, including Islamic NGOs. South Darfur has 52, North Darfur 35 and West Darfur 31, international NGOs. According to the Ministry, 19 NGOs are from the United States, 16 from the United Kingdom, 10 from France, and two each from some more European countries. Nearly 12 NGOs are from Muslim and Arab countries and 15 more come from other parts of the world. In total, 118 international NGOs are working in Darfur. Besides the international NGOs, there are 30 national NGOs in South Darfur, 23 in North and 17 in West. Last month, the registration of 13 NGOs from the whole of Sudan was revoked, out of which only 10 were working in Darfur. The main fields of activities of the 10 revoked NGOs were Health, Water and Sanitation, Food Distribution, Non-Food Items. The revoked NGOs represented 12 percent of the total working, according to the Ministry, which also added that the registration of the NGOs was not revoked due to their country of origin. On March 4, the Government of National Unity (GoNU) revoked the registration certificates of 13 international and three national organizations due to their involvement in activities that violate humanitarian mandates and threaten national security, such as cooperation with the ICC, false reporting and advocating the international community and the Security Council to put more pressure on Sudan. The Ministry also informed that a joint committee was formed with UN agencies to oversee the implementation of contingency plans for water, health, food and non-food items. The Government of Sudan and the United Nations discussed the matter on several occasions, focussed on the following sectors: food aid; health and nutrition; non-food items; and water and sanitation. The state minister for humanitarian affairs, Ahmad Muhammad Harun, said, “We made a joint assessment with the UN and came out with the result that shows the gaps in food sector, health sector and in non food item sectors. It shows a very narrow gap due to our government and international NGO intervention.” Food available till September The Ministry official who gave detailed information about NGOs said, “From this report, we found that food is available and accessible in Darfur and that the WBC distributed for March and April to all the camps and affected areas. Food is available in Sudan up to September 2009. Food is there.” Our 10 member delegation met with Dr. Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani, adviser to the President and also the leader of the Parliamentary Majority, Dr. Nafi Ali Nafi, assistant to the President, and also with Dr. Mariam Al-Sadig Al-Mahady of the Ummah Party and discussed issues such as expulsion of NGOs, situation of IDPs and their camps. The delegation also met with the governor of South Darfur and visited IDP camps and Baba village in Niyala, the capital of South Darfur. Lord Ahmad said, “Our message is very clear. We, British Muslims, do not have financial, economic or political interest. Our interest is simple: peace and we want to bring all sides and tribes together.” “That's what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did in Hilful Fadhul and that's what he did all his life,” he added.
