Daily Darfur: Relief is Coming...Maybe.

by Michelle . · 2009-04-10 04:03:00 UTC
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The Arab League announced that it will appoint a Humanitarian Affairs coordinator for Darfur, to manage Arab humanitarian assistance to the region. Given the organization's unwavering support for Bashir after he expelled 13 foreign aid agencies --- which together comprised half of the region's aid operation --- from Darfur over a month ago...well, it's about time.

The key questions will be, first, will the $8 million a month pledges during the Doha summit actually come, and second, will it be efficiently channeled to organizations on the ground in Darfur who are actually able --- who have the technical capacity to --- plug the massive, gapping holes left by the departing agencies? And will this happen quickly enough to overt an even larger catastrophe? And how can we be assured that the aid will reach its intended beneficiaries, and not be co-opted and used as a weapon by the Sudanese government against the Darfuri people? (Not a far-fetched possibility.)

Perhaps a more effective route, if you're truly concerned about the people in Darfur, is to use your influence to pressure Bashir to readmit the expelled agencies. US Special Envoy Scott Gration reportedly/supposedly gave Khartoum a proposal for addressing the humanitarian crisis created by the expulsions on his recent trip to Sudan --- and gave the government 30 days to respond. (Or else....what? I don't know.)

(I'm treading a bit into Michael's territory here, but it's nearly impossible to separate this issue from the larger political dynamics at play, at this point. A question for Mr. Kleinman, or anyone else who cares to take it up: What does it take, logistically, to set up a program in Darfur?)

Other items of note...

Sudan has bigger problems than Bashir.

"We ignore Africa's problems at our peril."

[Photo from AP: Sudanese refugees gather to collect water supplies at the Abu Shouk refugee camp, out side the Darfur town of al-Fasher, Sudan Saturday, March 21, 2009.]

Michelle . has been involved in various activist endeavors, including the Teach Against Genocide pilot campaigns.
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