AFRICA/CHAD - Darfur Crisis: UN High Commission for Refugees continues to assist 100,000 Sudanese refugees in Chad. Massive air lift to supply aid. But unless the violence is stopped it is like pouring water into a bottomless bucket!

Rome (Fides Service)- The United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR has begun an air lift to carry extremely urgent emergency aid to tens of thousands of Sudanese who have fled to Chad from the western Sudanese region of Darfur where civilians are being massacred by pro-government militia.
Days ago the first of 22 aircraft took off from Karachi, Pakistan, carrying another 16,100 tents to the capital of Chad, N'Djamena. The tents were unloaded at N'Djamena and then transported by truck to the 8 refugee camps in eastern Chad. These flights with 40 previous flights from all over the world are part of a massive UNHCR air lift to transport 1,700 tonnes of aid to Chad. UNHCR and its partners have started distributing food aid to about 30,000 refugees in the most northern part of the border territory affected by the crisis, the districts of Bahai and Kariari.
In Bahai and Kariari two weeks supplies of rice, oil and vegetables supplied by the UN World Food Programme are being distributed. Unarmed police have been called in to oversee the distribution, keep order and prevent security problems.
UNHCR hopes in the next 10 days to start operations to transfer refugees from Bahai to a new site in Oure Cassoni, near Kariari. Partner agency International Rescue Committee is already working on this site and “Projet Evangelique” NGO from Chad is digging four of six wells planned. About 660 tents have been transported to Oure Cassoni. There are already 113,000 refugees from Sudan in 8 camps in east Chad.
Yesterday 1 July, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, went to Darfur to pressure Sudan’s government to stop militia engaged in violence and incursions in the region. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 2//7/2004 righe 30 parole 371)