Sudanese Government Threatens Aid Workers

As much fun as it is to write about Gaza, thought I'd take a moment to focus on other humanitarian catastrophes - not to mention that it's been a while since I posted on Darfur.

Or, more accurately, posted on Sudanese President Omar al Bashir, who over the summer was accused by International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.  (Or, as I like to think of it, the genocidaire trifecta.)

According to various rumors circulating online - always a reliable source of information - the ICC is soon going to issue the arest warrant against Bashir.

Which, as my genocide co-blogger Michelle and I debated in November, might be good for justice, yet spark a humanitarian disaster.

As a sign of possible things to come, Sudanese Government officials - never noted for their restraint, much less subtlety - have recently threatened attacks against foreigners should the ICC issue the arrest warrant.

Michelle posted about this yesterday, quoting a recent BBC article:

"Speaking to local journalists in Khartoum, the head of Sudan's National Security and Intelligence Service, Salah Gosh, said they could not predict the reactions of 'outlaws' who could target foreigners in the wake of a decision by the ICC."

Given the fact that Sudan isn't exactly inundated with tourists (though the pyramids are nice), there are relatively few foreigners to be found, at least outside of aid workers and journalists.

So, Gosh is really saying that, if the ICC does issue the warrant, he'll greenlight attacks against aid agencies and reporters.  Such threats are not particularly surprising, however, considering the Sudanese Government's previous attacks against aid agencies.

Eric Reeve published an article in October, looking at the Sudanese Government's "long, brutal war of attrition directed at humanitarian aid efforts in Darfur".

A Reuters article in late November quoted a UN official who described "severe intimidation" against NGOs in south Darfur.  The UN's most recent Darfur Humanitarian Profile, released in October, paints a similar picture:

"Of serious concern was the forceful interference by local and Khartoum-based HAC [Humanitarian Aid Commission] officials who visited several NGO premises in Nyala and Kass (South Darfur) at the end of August, and interrogated, harassed and bullied staff. NGOs were forced to disclose their computer passwords, and sensitive files especially in the fields of protection and GBV [gender-based violence] were searched, copied and taken away."

Which brings us back around to the humanitarian situation.  There are around 2.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur, and the number continues to rise.

But that doesn't hide the fact that, from a humanitarian perspective, we're not even close to a worst-case scenario.

For instance, although humanitarian agencies face crippling bureaucratic impediments, for the most part they are still able to operate.

According to the UN Darfur Humanitarian Profile from October, the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and NGOs delivered food to 3.4 million people in Darfur last month.  Almost 2.5 million people had access to primary health care.

If the ICC issues an arrest warrant, then - as Gosh suggests - attacks against aid workers could skyrocket.

Keep in mind, the situation is already grim.  Eleven aid workers were killed in Darfur in 2008.

In addition, between January and October last year, 144 humanitarian premises were assualted, 225 humanitarian vehicles hijacked (including WFP-contracted vehicles), and 170 humanitarian staff (including WFP drivers) temporarily abducted.

Increased attacks - especially attacks directed by the Sudanese Government - would make it that much more difficult to deliver assistance to those most in need - which potentially means hundreds of thousands more people in Darfur without access to sufficient food, or water, or health care.

One way or another, it looks like we'll soon find out whether Michelle or I was correct, about whether the benefits of justice outweigh the humanitarian costs.

To see what President-elect Obama said about Darfur during the campaign, see here.

[Man in Darfur at the site of a mass grave - Photo from AP]