Fighting Forces Aid Agency to Abandon Clinic in Darfur

The recent fighting around Muhajariya, in South Darfur, has forced Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to temporarily withdraw from the town, leaving 35,000 people without access to medical assistance.

My co-blogger Michelle has been following the situation around Muhajariya, where two Darfur rebel groups are battling each other for control of the area.

According to the statement released yesterday by MSF:

"Following heavy fighting in Muhajariya, South Darfur, Sudan, on January 15 MSF has had to temporarily relocate most of its medical team to Nyala, the regional capital, an estimated 80 km away.

The team has learned that the MSF base in Muhajariya was completely destroyed by fire, however the MSF clinic remains functional.

'It is frustrating to be out of Muhajariya at a time where we can support the population, but we are trying to return and continue our medical care as before, as soon as the circumstances allow,' explained Jose Hulsenbek, MSF's coordinator for operations in Darfur.

After the evacuation of MSF, more than 35,000 people living in Muhajariya and its immediate surroundings who are directly affected by the violence are now without sufficient and urgently needed medical assistance....A small team of Sudanese MSF staff remaining in Muhajariya continue to provide basic life-saving services. However, without surgical services, this is far from meeting the needs of the population."

To make matters worse, the Sudanese Government has also stepped up attacks around both Muhajariya and El Fasher, in North Darfur.

Again, Michelle has more information on the Government's bombing campaign.

Humanitarian access in Darfur has always been touch and go - for instance, as of September last year, the UN was only able to access 65% of the affected population in Darfur.  Which means that hundreds of thousands of people are left without life-saving assistance.

Access is so limited partially because the security situation is bad.  Muhajariya is a perfect case in point, with fighting not only between the Sudanese Government and rebel groups, but also fighting between various rebel groups.

Another reason why humanitarian access is so limited is because of direct attacks on humanitarian staff. 

The UN reports that, between January and October 1st of 2008, 144 humanitarian premises were assualted / broken into, 225 humanitarian vehicles were hijacked (including WFP-contracted vehicles), and 170 humanitarian staff (including WFP drivers) were temporarily abducted.

Not to mention the eleven humanitarian staff killed in Darfur last year.

So far, looks like 2009 isn't much of an improvement.

[Remnants of a destroyed house in Muhajariya - Photo from 2007 by AFP / Getty Images]