SUDAN: Victims of Darfur's bloody violence face a growing risk of death or rape around aid camps because African Union (AU) troops lack resources to properly protect them, according to eight international charities working in Sudan's war-torn western region.
They say conditions will continue to deteriorate unless donors, meeting in Brussels today, find a way to ease a $270 million (€216 million) black hole. Some 7,000 AU troops are stretched across a region the size of France, with finances sufficient to cover salaries only until the end of this month.
Denis Caillaux, secretary general of Care International, said: "This lack of funding means patrols in and around camps are impossible or have been scaled back and we are seeing people attacked, killed or raped."
Fighting in Darfur has killed some 200,000 since 2003 and forced another two million to flee their homes. Earlier this month, AU commanders spelt out their difficulties in protecting aid agencies and civilians to Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern as he toured northern Darfur.
They said they were often outgunned by better-equipped rebels and lacked air support to respond rapidly to violence.
United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan will today try to coax governments to provide funds to keep the beleaguered AU mission afloat and persuade Khartoum to accept a tougher UN force to follow the African troops.
The donor meeting has prompted eight aid agencies to urgently call on donors to meet AU running costs and to provide more vehicles and armoured personnel carriers. They say night-vision equipment is needed so 24- hour camp patrols can start.
The conflict in Sudan's eastern region began when non-Arab tribes revolted against the Arab-dominated government, which is accused of then unleashing Arab militias known as the Janjaweed, who have been blamed for the worst atrocities.